Chiaroscuro
by Cee Marie
Summary: "Def:The interplay of light and shadows." The future is dire, and the Force knows it. The Sith have returned. Darkness is slowly clawing its way through the universe, and Her Chosen One is on the brink of self destruction. But the Force has a plan. Who better to redeem her Chosen One, than his very children? Hopefully they can change fate in time. (RotS/CW AU A/P, L/H, Human!Force)
1. A Good Man Goes To War

**A.N. So I've been re-watching the Star Wars films, and let's just say I have a LOT of feels... Me hurt...**

**So, this is how I deal. I suppose you lot are benefiting from this, you cruel little creatures. Well, I hope you enjoy my little story, which will most likely grow and grow and grow. Gosh, this fic has the makings of being _huge_. Like, 50 chapters kinda huge. 0.o**

**I've always enjoyed the idea of a Living Force that would take human form. So here is my take on the widely used and kinda cliché idea of Skywalker twin time travel. Whoo-whoo! **

**Any-who, R&R!**

"Demons run when a good man goes to war  
>Night will fall and drown the sun<br>When a good man goes to war

Friendship dies and true love lies  
>Night will fall and the dark will rise<br>When a good man goes to war

Demons run, but count the cost  
>The battle's won, but the child is lost"<p>

― Steven Moffat

Most believe the Force to be simply energy. A moving current through Time and Space. Something with great power, but no thoughts.

They couldn't be more wrong.

The Force is living. It is intelligent. It is fair and unwavering in its justice. It is all things and nothing at the same time.

The Force created all, and in time it would destroy all.

It lives within every sentient being, and even some of those who are not sentient. It brings both life and death in equal measures.

For you see, there is no Light or Dark to the Force.

There is simply its Will, and those who would go against it.

The Force is all knowing and all powerful.

And I'll let you in on a little secret...

The Force is Me.

Six months, Luke thought. Six months since the second Death Star was blown to nothingness. Six months since the galaxy was set free from Palpatine's rule. Six months since his father died.

Luke's eyes closed as he leaned against a blaster-scorched wall.

_Father._

He had come to except who he was, who his father had been. As far as Luke was concerned, Vader and Anakin were two entirely different people.

Darth Vader was the result of a terrible mistake and an unforgivable lie. He was the creation of circumstance. Darkness had blackened his soul, but so had despair.

Vader had been a shell.

Luke understood that. Whatever had turned Anakin Skywalker, his father, to the Dark Side had also devoured his very being until there was nothing left but hate and the resignation to obey.

That, in truth, was all he had been doing since his fall.

Obeying the Emperor, obeying the Dark Side.

Obeying his own hate.

His actions no longer belonged to him. He was a shell of a man in a robotic suit, obeying because it was all he had left to do.

Because he had learned that making his own choices only lead to pain.

Vader had given up. He was a symbol of, not power, but defeat. He was a slave to his own darkness. Until Luke came.

It was not simply Vader who had attacked Luke atop Cloud City. Anakin had been there too. He might have been twisted and stained black from confinement within the shell, but he was there, reaching out for Luke.

He believed, at least for a moment, that he had done something right. That he was not entirely dead, because his sone remained.

While Anakin Skywalker had fallen, his son had risen.

And on his shoulders Luke had carried his father into redemption. But it was Anakin who took those last few steps into the light.

He had saved Luke's life, and Luke had saved his soul.

Vader might have died that day above Endor, but Anakin Skywalker had been born again.

It was in his father's honor, as well as Obi-Wan's and Yoda's, that Luke stood where he did.

In the half-burnt ruins of the Jedi Temple.

What once was a great monument to the Jedi's power now was a tomb for those killed during the Purges.

Walls were scorched with blaster fire. Pillars lay collapsed and debris blanketed the cracked marble floors.

What had transpired over twenty years ago still echoed within the Force. Luke closed his eyes and tried to drown out the screams.

"Luke?"

He glanced up. Before him stood Leia. His twin sister wore jedi training robes much like Luke himself. Her hair was pulled high in a simple brain. Attached to her hip was the silver handle of her lightsaber. Luke inwardly smiled at the memory of helping his impatient little sister create the blade. It had taken them over a month due to constantly having to start over.

Luke straightened up and patted down his black robes of any dust that could have accumulated on the fabric.

He smiled at his sister. "Come on. We should get to training." He gestured for her to follow him down the corridor. The Temple had a fantastic training room which Luke utilized on a daily basis, along with aiding Leia in her own Jedi training.

The two arrived outside the massive steal doors leading to said room. Luke released a small force pulse and the doors slid open.

He stepped inside but had to immediately shield his eyes from the unusually bright lights emanating from the room.

Luke's eyes blinked then widened in surprise.

This was _not_ the training room.

The space was massive, and entirely white. One couldn't even tell where wall met floor if it weren't for the paintings.

Dozens of thirty by ten glassy paintings hung nobly from the ivory walls. They depicted things all the way from ancient jedi knights to the battle of Endor.

Luke neared one of the paintings. A closer look reviled that the painting was actually a moving holovid.

A holovid that showed images of the Clone Wars...

...A holovid that looked eerily like a window...

Luke pressed his hand to the glass of the holo, only to yelp in surprise when his hand went straight through, as if he had slipped it into water.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." called out a voice.

Both siblings looked up to see a seated figure at the end of the room.

How had they not seen the person before?

The being was made entirely of light. It appeared to be female as it had an hour glass figure and long hair.

However, its voice was completely genderless. It sat upon a silver throne that seemed to be made of thousands of iron cylinders. Cylinders, Luke realized, that looked just like lightsabers.

As he slowly walked closer, he realized that was exactly what it was.

Thousands upon thousands of lightsabers all molded together to make a massive seat in which the ethereal being sat. How had it gotten those weapons? Who was this being?

"The lightsabers belonged to all deceased Jedi to ever exist." Spoke the being as if reading Luke's mind.

"I did, silly boy." It grinned. "Once a Jedi, or even a Sith, dies, their blade comes here, to join it's brethren upon my throne. A lightsaber is the life of a Jedi after all, once one they pass into me, they no longer need that. They no longer need to fight. There is peace." The being smiled. Not in anyway creepily or sardonic, but a true caring smile. That of a mother looking fondly at her child.

It looked at both Luke and Leia at the same time, even though it appeared to have no eyes, only a white glowing face.

"As to who I am..." A wide grin replaced the gentle smile as the being spoke cheerfully. "Well, I'm the Force!" The being swing its legs over the side of the throne, its arms draped lazily over the sides. "And please dears, it's very rude to call people an 'it'. I thought you were raised with manners you two." The Force tisked disapprovingly. "If you must use a pronoun, call me a 'she'. I did create, well, everything after all. Creation is a mother's job." The Force giggled. "Heh! Me, a mother. What an odd thought."

Leia took a step forward, having come to her senses faster than her brother during the being's tirade.

"What are we doing here? If you are indeed the Force, what do you need of my brother and I?"

The Force grew serious, something odd to see on Her so far grinning face. "I need you." She said simply.

"You, the all-powerful Force, needs us?" Leia questioned with a hint of snark. She was scared and confused, and whenever she felt backed into a corner, she turned to her first defense, sarcasm.

The Force threw her head back and laughed. "Me, I love your spunk child!"* She shook her head. "Yes, I need you. I need you to restore my Chosen One to his intended path."

"You mean our father?" Questioned Luke.

Leia scowled at her brother. "There is no way in seven hells I am helping Vader."

"Leia!" The Force rumbled. "Silence."

Leia did as told.

"Now, that's better." The Force looked at Luke. "Yes, I do indeed mean your father." Her head swerved around at unnatural speed to look at Leia pointedly. "And _not_ Vader. Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were and are two _very_ different beings. I am tasking you with making sure Vader never comes into existence."

"How?" Questioned Luke. "How can we change something that happened before we were even born?"

"I'm the Force, aren't I?! I can do anything!" The Force grinned widely. "And that includes sending you two back in time."

The twins looked at the glowing being in shock.

"Time travel?!" Leia gasped.

The Force nodded. "Indeed." Her expression grew grim. "I ask that you allow me to send you back to the time just before your father's breaking point. He was never meant to fall to the Dark Side. But things had not gone as I had planned, and here this reality is."

The Force removed a silver and black lightsaber handle from Her throne. She absently turned it around in Her hands.

"If you succeed, This reality will cease to exist. Sidious will be dead and you will be allowed to grow up together, with both mother and a father." She looked at them with a blank white face that somehow help seas of emotion. "Leia, you will meet Han again, and the two of you will fight and brawl and fall in love all over again."

She turned to look at the male Skywalker. "And you Luke will meet the love of your life, who will most likely try and kill you at your first meeting." She chuckled. "Things will be as they should. How I always planned them to be."

Leia shook her head. "This all sounds too good to be true." She murmured.

"It will be a difficult task." Spoke the Force. "You must prevent Anakin from falling to the Dark Side, as well as convince him to kill his friend and mentor. You see, Palpatine help influence over him from a very young age. It will be a hard bond to sever." Te Force sighed.

"This may be something you will not survive, and if such a thing does happen, the galaxy will be worse off than it was with Vader."

Both Skywalkers looked pale. Worse than Vader? It was a terrifying thought.

"It is your choice, as it always will be. You may remain here, in this time. Rebuild the Jedi order, fall in love, have a family of your own. But I warn you, the Sith are not entirely destroyed. The Prophecy wasn't fully fulfilled. They will rise again, in your lifetime or not."

Silence fell in the massive hall. All that was heard were the two mortal's light breathing. Luke looked at the saber in the Force's hands. He recognized it.

It was his father's lightsaber. The lightsaber Obi-Wan had given him on Tattooine. The lightsaber that had fallen with his right hand after Vader cut it off.

Held in the thin pale fingers of the Living Force was the weapon that started, and in a way finished, it all.

Luke looked at the silver weapon, a thing of both hope and destruction, and he knew what he had to do.

Slowly, Luke walked towards the throne. A few paces away he knelt. "I accept your offer to save my father as he once saved me."

His eyes downcast, he felt more than saw the Force stand. She knelt down next to him, felt her cool and warm fingers on his cheeks.

"Look at me, my child."

Luke did as he was told. Being so near the Living Force, Luke was able to see detail he hadn't before noticed. Like how her hear had hints of blonde in it as well as silver and white. She had slight dimples on her glowing porcelain cheeks. Her thing lips were such a pale pink it was very nearly white.

But the oddest thing was her eyes, or there lack of. Covering where her eyes would be was a silvery white cloth, some sort of blindfold.

"No one can see my eyes." She whispered. "The eyes of the Force hold more power than any mortal can fathom." Her head tilted back to face Leia, her covered eyes seeming to pierce her mind and soul.

"And what of you, Leia?" Questioned the Force, her voice booming. "What say you Leia Organa Skywalker, adoptive daughter of Bail and Breha, Princess of Alderaan, brother of Luke Skywalker and child of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Naberrie Amidala? _What say you_?!"

Leia looked wide eyes at the woman kneeling before her, the creator of everything, the mother of all life.

Leia swallowed, her eyes shimmering with light tears yet to be shed. "I...I..."

_'What say you?' _The words echoed in her mind, her heart thumping like a drumbeat to her own execution. She was being faced with a choice, a choice that would either build her up, or utterly destroy her.

Leia closed her eyes, letting a single tear slip forth. _Go back in time. _Her chest heaved. _Save my father..._

Not _my father! _Part of her screamed. She would never think of that black clad monster as her father.

No, it was Bail Organa who raised her, who comforted her through childhood nightmares and kissed away her cuts and bruises after a tumble.

Bail was her father, not Anakin, and certainly not Vader.

_But what if... _A part of her murmured. After all, there must have been something good in him. She refused to believe someone as good as Luke could have come from something so evil.

So what then?

Who _was_ Anakin Skywalker?

Did she even want to find out?

Leia felt her heart clinch. Ever since she had found out she was adopted she wanted to know about her biological parents. But her questions were always met with silence or excuses.

_"I'll tell you when you're older."_

_"Not now Leia."_

_"Perhaps another day."_

Now was her chance. NOw was her chance to find out who she _really_ was. Should she pass this up? Could she afford to?

She was afraid. Leia was deluded enough to ignore that fact. She knew when to admit when she was terrified. But Luke had already announced his plan to go. And there was no way in seven hells she would let her twin brother go alone.

"I will follow my brother." She finally said, opening her eyes. "I will follow him to the ends of the earth if need be, and if that takes me into the past, into the life of my father, then so be it."

The Force smiled, though it appeared forced. "I wouldn't ask any more of you."

Leia stepped forward and echoed her brother, kneeling down before the Force. The ethereal being placed a palm on Leia's cheek like she was doing with Luke, her smile slowly growing. Gently she kissed both in the forehead.

"Then go, my children. And remember, I will be with you. Always."

Leia felt the cool-warm touch of the Force slowly disappear from her face. She felt the world tilt and spin as her physical body was pulled apart and put back together.

It did not hurt, but neither was it pleasant.

Her hand instinctually sought out her brother's and they clasped together tightly.

Around her the world swirled and swirled on and on. She could feel time and space moving around her and through her.

Then suddenly, it all stopped.

Leia once again felt solid ground beneath her feet and a cool breeze across her skin. Her eyes slid open to take in the world around her. Lush green forest met her vision.

A sudden bust of blaster fire ignited a tree not a meter from them.

Leia jerked away from the explosion, her eyes wide.

They were most certainly _not_ on coruscant anymore...


	2. Running Up That Hill

**A.N. Long time no see, yah? Anyway, now for responses...**

**Shiranai Atsune: Hehe, maybeeee... I plan on throwing in bits of the EU later on. We'll just have to see. *wink***

**Guest: Here you go love, hope this makes you happy.**

**ElsaSkywalker: Why thank you *swooping bow* I'm glad you like it. I'll hopefully update fairly often, my goal being weekly, but most likely as bit more spread out that that. I don't, however, plan to update once a year. Eesh. *cringe* **

**And here we go!**

**May the Force be with you. (She's watching you... ^_~)**

_"And if I only could,_

_Make a deal with God,_

_And get him to swap our places,_

_Be running up that road,_

_Be running up that hill,_

_Be running up that building."_

_"So much hate for the ones we love?_

_Tell me, we both matter, don't we?_

_You, be running up that hill_

_You and me, be running up that hill_

_You and me won't be unhappy."_

_"C'mon, baby, c'mon, c'mon, darling,_

_Let me steal this moment from you now._

_C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,_

_Let's exchange the experience, oh..."_

**_-Placebo 'Running Up That Hill'_**

Green was the first thing Luke noticed. Lots and lots of green. So very different from the white room of the Force or the browns of the Jedi Temple.

The next thing he noticed was the chill. The air around him felt overly brisk. Already goosebumps were raising on his skin.

The last thing he noticed was the fighting. All around him Luke could hear the blasts of lasers and clank of metal.

Flashes of colourful laser-fire light up the trees. Quick glimpses of white and gold appeared between the thick trunks as two sides battled.

"Luke?" Spoke a shaky voice from next to him. He turned to see his sister, wide eyed and trembling. He realized he himself was shaking, his breath uneven.

"W-what?" Leia swallowed. "What happened?"

Luke shook his head. He noticed a white figure step out of the tree line and his eyes widened. The colour, the armor, the posture. So similar and yet eerily different.

And suddenly Luke knew exactly where they were.

"We're in the Clone Wars." He breathed.

Leia's head jerked up, eyes wide in shock. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off.

"Hey you!"

Luke felt his sister's fear and confusion through the Force as the white armored man cautiously made his way towards them. The clone's gun remained raised as he approached. "Who are you?" Demanded the clone trooper. "What are you doing here?"

Luke slowly lifted his hands in a show of surrender. He nudged Leia through the Force to do the same.

Luke was about to answer the trooper when a powerful presence in the Force nearly blew him off his feet.

From the tree line emerged a man dressed int he course robes of a Jedi. In his hand he held a lightsaber, its lit blade casting a blue glow.

With him were another six clone troopers.

Luke gasped as the identity of the familiar force presence clicked in his mind. "Obi-Wan?" He murmured.

Luke's former mentor didn't seem to hear him, but glanced at the twins nevertheless. Luke shook his head to clear his muddled thoughts. Obi-Wan was just so much... _younger_.

It was bizarre to see his youthful face, lacking all the wrinkles and blemishes of age. Luke noticed offhandedly that Obi-Wan's hair was a strawberry blonde. He had never stopped to think what colour his friend's hair might have been before it was turned white with age.

At least he still had his beard. Luke didn't know if he could handle the oddness of a clean-shaven Kenobi.

"What's this?" Questioned Obi-Wan, his accented voice sending sad nostalgia through Luke. He had missed that voice.

"Not sure sir. Found these two just like this." Answered the trooper.

"I can explain." Luke said in hopes to keep a semblance of peace and order. They might have been friends in Luke's time, but this Obi-Wan didn't know who he or Leia were.

"I certainly hope you can." Remarked Obi-Wan.

Luke was about to start explaining the story he had quickly fabricated when one of the clones fell to the dirt, a fatal blaster shot in his back.

"We're under attack." Announced one of the troopers. Luke and Leia scrambled to hide behind one of the thick trunked trees.

"Not good. Not good. Not good." Muttered Leia.

Luke couldn't help but chuckle nervously. "I agree with you there." He swiftly unclasped his lightsaber from its place on his belt. He looked her in the eyes and gave a nod. She unclipped her own hilt and smirked.

"This is where the fun begins." She said under her breath.

In perfect synchrony two blades came to life, one the patient colour of green, the other the willful spirit conveyed in golden light.

In complete harmony through the Force, the twins sprung from their hiding place behind the tree into the fray.

Together they partook in a waltz of destruction to music only they could hear. Luke's emerald blade cut through battled droids like the crash of symbols. Metal bodies thumping on the ground harmonized like the beat of drums.

The hiss and crackle of Leia's yellow saber sung in harmony to her brother's. It was in times like these, the ability to destroy but not kill, that the twins could allow their worries and fears to be swept up into the tides of the fight.

Nothing mattered as they battled against the empty shell of droids. There was no life to take, not guilt to be felt once the violence stopped. It was just them and their blades. The simple mindless movement of aggression to let out all their pent up rage.

The battle ended shortly after it began. Luke glanced around. There were nearly a dozen battle droids laying deactivated on the ground, as well as the bodies of three clones. Across the small battlefield he noticed Obi-Wan looking at he and his sister oddly. It wasn't a look of mistrust like Luke expected, but rather one of keen interest.

The Jedi knight stepped around the broken droids to stand a few feet away from the Skywalker twins. He took in both their appearances. Luke for one wore a plain brown tunic with cream trousers and boots, clothing that was strangely like the Jedi's own.

Leia's outfit was more elaborate, though toned down from her usual wardrobe. She wore a short dress of blue-grey material and dark coloured leggings beneath leather boots. Her hair was pulled up in an elaborate braid, though not as extravagant as what she often wore.

They were certainly an odd sight for the Jedi, that Luke was sure. They were, after all, wearing a fashion twenty years in the future.

Add in the fact they both fought with lightsabers and were obviously Force sensitive would be quite the odd combination indeed.

"Who are you?" Obi-Wan asked at last.

Luke glanced at his sister and sent her a silent nudge in the Force urging her to remain quite and trust him. He looked back at Obi-Wan and sighed. "My name is Luke and this is my sister Leia." He took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._ "The Force sent us."


	3. Seasons Keep On Marching

**A.N. I'm baaaaack! Hello lovely readers. I'm so glad to see you all. Now for review answers!**

**The-Real-Mando-Man: Aww, thank you. Glad to see you reviewing Mr. Macho-Man. *wink***

**AgentTucker: It's a reference to Mara Jade, Luke's wife in the EU. I plan to include her, as well as a few other characters from the extended. And here is your serving of Cari-fic. You may be in luck for seconds later today. (possible double update *shifty eyes*)**

**xider: Bwahahah! I love torturing you with cliffhangers! (Spoiler: this's another one. *Evil*)**

**ElsaSkywalker: Hehe, although Leia is the politician and is better at lying and making it believable, she's in a little bit of shock right now. In this instance, Luke's the more level headed one and thus is taking charge of the situation until Leia can recover more. Luke also has an advantage with knowing Obi-Wan, and having a stronger connection to the Force. And I totally see them as being able to fight together. Since their twins, I thought it logical that they would have a very strong connection in the Force, allowing them to almost sync with one another. Makes for some pretty bad-ass action scenes.**

**Alrighty, here we go! Also, who's pov would you like to see next? (Probably starting out with Leia, but I'd love your input.) Any character suggestions?**

**And now, without further adieu, Chapter Three!**

_"In the spring,_

_We climbed the rolling hills,_

_And talked about our budding plans._

_And we smiled,_

_Our faces like a mirror,_

_Showing us our secret sides._

_But then the fights..._

_The sharp words splintering the night,_

_How I couldn't be what you'd need..._

_But oh how I could make you bleed..."_

_"I know the border lines we drew between us,_

_Keep the weapons down,_

_Keep the wounded safe;_

_I know our antebellum innocence,_

_Was never meant to see the light of our armistice._

_But how much would I give to have it back again?_

_How much did we lose,_

_To live this way?"_

_"You'll go home...I'll stay here,_

_Seasons keep on marching,_

_I'll stay here...you'll go home,_

_With only strangers watching."_

**_-Vienna Teng 'Antebellum'_**

_"The Force sent us."_

It ran through Obi-Wan's head like an incantation. These two strangers, both knowledgeable in the Force had appeared with the crackling energy if lightning and a shift in the Force itself.

In all it was totally bizarre. He couldn't quite fathom the implications of it. Of course he had heard of the Force giving direct missions to Jedi, but such a thing hadn't happened in thousands of years.

Yet it didn't seem quite unfeasible, if the strange way the Force was behaving around the two was anything to go by.

Obi-Wan was prepared to answer Luke when the dreadily familiar shuffle of gears reached his ears.

"Oh, blast." He grumbled and spun around, activating his lightsabre. "Destroyers."

Behind him he heard the chorus of duel _snap-hisses _as the two strangers activated both their weapons.

Three destroyers uncurled from their fetal positions and activated both weapons systems and shields. The bloody things were damn hard to destroy.

The quite was sliced with the pulsing blast of laser fire and Obi-Wan had to quickly swipe with his lightsabre to deflect the deadly energy. The three clones who survived the initial attack fought valiantly, but in the end fell to the droid's heavy fire.

"Run," the woman, Leia, ordered.

"Excuse me?" Questioned Obi-Wan, both confused and slightly insulted at her order.

"I said run. I have a plan." She said before turning and sprinting away from the droids. Luke shrugged and ran after her.

Obi-Wan groaned and went as well. Behind him the destroyers tucked into spheres and took chase.

Ahead of him he noticed Leia veer behind the thick trunk of a tree, but not before gesturing to Luke and himself to continue straight.

Faced with not much choice, Obi-Wan did as instructed. He glanced back in time to see the three destroyers pass by the tree Leia was hiding behind. In an unexpected move, she rolled out from her hiding place and cut through all three of the rolling droids. It was pathetically easy to do so with their shields inactive.

Obi-Wan had to admit, it was a brilliant move. The threat gone, he and Luke moved to join Leia. He stopped mid-step when his communicator went off.

"Kenobi here." Obi-Wan answered with professional tone.

_"Master, good news." _Came the voice of his former padawan. _"The battle's over. The few droids left had retreated."_

Obi-Wan sighed in relief. "That is good news." He glanced at the two strangers. They were standing close to one another and watching him. "I'll meet you back at the base camp. And I'm bringing friends."

Luke followed closely behind Obi-Wan. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his mentor and friend was still alive, and twenty years younger.

Even stranger was the fact that they had _time traveled_. He of course had an inkling of what he was getting into when he accepted the Force's offer, but... time travel? The notion seemed entirely alien. Yet here he was, in the middle of the Clone Wars.

Luke idly wondered what year it was exactly he was in. It appeared to be near the end of the war, so maybe twenty three or so years? Tat would mean he and Leia had yet to even be born.

He jolted with the sudden thought. What if they came upon their past selves? Would that be some sort of paradox? No, from what he understood, he and Leia had been born right around the time the Empire was formed. Thankfully, it seemed that had yet to happen.

That also brought up the subject of their parents. His time's Obi-Wan had said he and his father had fought together in the Clone Wars. Did that mean Anakin Skywalker was here? The Force had instructed them to find a way to keep their father from falling to the dark side. How to do that exactly, Luke didn't know.

But first he would have to find him. Luke supposed he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

His thoughts began to wander to who else he might meet in this time. It was during the war, so that meant that the Jedi Purges had yet to happen. There would be hundreds still alive. Luke had the chance to meet them, learn from them! The thought was exhilarating. He would have to of course come up with a fool proof cover story. Once he was alone with Leia they would have to discuss it.

Who else might he meet? Yoda most likely. Luke wondered if the little green alien appeared younger in this time like Obi-Wan did. Probably not, as Yoda was over nine hundred years old.

Then his thoughts fell to his and Leia's mother. Who was she? What did she look like? Luke had no idea. He didn't even have a name. Simply the impression that she looked a great deal like Leia. Could she have been a jedi? It was possible, but for some reason Luke doubted it. Maybe some sort of politician like Leia?

He just had so many questions.

"We're here." Obi-Wan's voice tore Luke from his musings. They were indeed 'here'. Luke looked over the base camp. It was set in a large natural clearing of trees. Several gunships were docked throughout the grassy field. Tents were erected between the space vehicles and boxes of supplies were littered about in an organized mess.

Throughout the camp wandered clones going about their business. It was odd, seeing them without their helmets. Each one looked so similar, and yet different.

Obi-Wan made his way to one of the parked ships. Next to the lowered loading platform stood another figure in dark robes. Another jedi, Luke realized.

He came within thirty paces of the new jedi when it hit him like walking into a force field. He felt his breath leave his lungs in a '_whoosh'. _The force signature coming from the jedi was so strong it was almost tangible. The raw power of his ora was like burning lightning, electrifying everything around him. It was all power and energy and passion and something just so... _familiar_.

He glanced to his side to see Leia had a similar reaction. She felt it too. Luke reached out and squeezed her hand in comfort, for her benefit as well as his own.

He took a deep breath and steadied his expression before approaching this new jedi. Now better adjusted to the powerful force presence, Luke was able to take in the man's appearance.

He was quite a bit taller than Luke, though that wasn't saying much as he had been vertically challenge since a child, something that never ceased to annoy him.

The jedi wore long brown robes like Obi-Wan, however his were much darker than the light tan of Obi-Wan's wardrobe.

His hair was a tangled mess of blonde and brown. It reached just below his jawline. His eyes were a vivid light blue, and across his right brow was a jagged scar. Luke recognized it as the product of getting close and personal with a lightsabre.

Luke's inquiring gaze was returned by the man, who appeared to be analyzing both he and Leia with equal scrutiny.

"So these are the friends you talked about Obi-Wan?" The man asked, his eyes never leaving the twins.

"Yes. One of the clones found them not far off from the main battle. They actually helped in fighting several destroyers."

The man raised his brow, impressed by the feat of, what would appear to him, as two civilians. Deciding it best to start off on friendly relations with this man, Luke offered his hand. "My name's Luke, and this is my sister Leia." The man shook Luke's hand, but remained cautious of him.

"No last name?" He asked in a half tease, but Luke could sense an undertone of mistrust.

"Actually, yes. Luke Nilurey." Said Luke, using the first name that popped in his head. It was actually rather clever, as the surname was one of the more common ones used in the Outer Rim.

The man smiled. "Nice to meet you then. I'm Anakin Skywalker."


	4. Are You A Saint Or A Sinner?

**A.N. It's time for dessert! Two chapters in one day? Whaaa?! And guess what?! It's awesome oc time! Well, not exactly an oc... You'll see. hehe She is a character I'm very excited to introduce. I hope you like her.**

**Veritas1995: Hmm, very interesting. I suppose the twins are 'all in'. Heh. **

**ILDV: Aww, I'm glad you like it. Your reviews make me very very very happy. ^_^**

_"I'm an angel with a shotgun,_

_An angel with a shotgun."_

_"Get out your guns, battle's begun._

_Are you a saint or a sinner?_

_If loves a fight then I shall die,_

_With my heart on a trigger."_

_"They say before you start a war,_

_You better know what you're fighting for._

_Well baby, you are all that I adore._

_If love is what you need, a soldier I will be."_

_"I'm an angel with a shotgun fighting 'til the wars won._

_I don't care if heaven won't take me back._

_I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe._

_Don't you know you're everything I have?_

_And I wanna live, not just survive tonight."_

_"Sometimes to win, you've got to sin._

_Don't mean I'm not a believer._

_And major Tom will sing along._

_Yeah, they still say I'm a dreamer."_

_"They say before you start a war,_

_You better know what you're fighting for._

_Well baby, you are all that I adore._

_If love is what you need, a soldier I will be."_

**_-The Cab 'Angel With a Shotgun'_**

Leia sat on one of the many cargo crates, her eyes glazed over as she watched the clones load up the ships. Apparently the clones were supposed to leave for Tythe within the day, now that their current mission was complete. It also seemed like she and Luke would be going with them.

Through careful inquisition by Luke, they had managed to figure out they were on the planet Myrkr. It was a little know forest world with no native sentient life. The Republic had sent out a team of troopers and their jedi commanders to check out a large gathering of droid ships landing on the planet.

'_The Republic...' _Leia sighed. She still couldn't quite believe the government she had fought to restore was alive and well here. Well, perhaps not well. If her history was correct then the Empire had already planted its roots deep inside the Senate.

Leia had to find some way to prevent it from strangling out democracy and blooming into the wicked flower that was the Empire she had grown up in. Leia had some ideas, but Luke had urged her not to speak of time travel or empires until they had more time to sort things out.

Their current story was that they were two force sensitives from the Outer Rim who had been trained by an old hermit named Ben. Not entirely untrue. As to how they landed on Myrkr, the two had crash landed a mile or so away and, hearing the commotion from the battle, came looking for help. Luke had joked that it _"hadn't exactly gone as planned."_ While neither of the jedi commanders seemed overly convinced of the twin's story, they had left it alone for now. Obi-Wan had asked them to come with them first to Tythe then to Coruscant so they could speak with the Jedi Council. Luke had reluctantly agreed, though the reluctance was an act to make their story seem more convincing. Luke was actually ecstatic at the prospect of meeting the famed Jedi Masters.

Luke had told her to rest and take some time to absorb the gravity of their situation before speaking with the two jedi. Even though Luke hadn't known her for most of their lives, her brother could read her effortlessly. It was something she was grateful for.

The problem wasn't so much the fact they had time traveled. Leia had come to except that as fact. How else could she explain her current situation?

No, what really put her head in turmoil was _him_. Anakin Skywalker. Her _father_. Leia still had a hard time grasping that.

Bail Organa would always be her father. She refused to make room in her heart for anyone else. She had not taken the Force's offer to redeem Anakin. She had gone in time simple to prevent the Empire from rising. Keep Alderaan safe.

She could care less about Anakin Skywalker.

But then why did she feel the bitter taste of a lie whenever she thought such a thing? Could it be that somewhere in her calloused emotions towards the man she felt some sort of connection? She would never akin it to love. It wasn't even respect. Leia, however, could not deny the connection she felt to the jedi. Like she _should_ like him.

But he had caused her too much pain for that. _'But that wasn't Anakin.' _Whispered her inner voice. _'That was Vader.'_

No, Anakin and Vader were one and the same. _'You don't really believe that, do you?' _Leia looked up to see her brother leaning against a parked gunship, talking with Anakin. _Laughing_ with him.

Luke looked almost.. hopeful. At peace. It was something Leia hadn't seen on him since Bespin. Leia had to grudgingly except that this meant a lot to Luke, and she would support him. She did not, however, have to agree with his futile hopes. She highly doubted that someone who could become Vader was someone worth redeeming, if it were even possible.

She looked again to see Anakin examining Luke's lightsabre. Her brother was pointing out different features on it has his father turned the weapon over in his hands. Anakin handed the hilt back to get brother and said something, a wide smile on his face. Luke ducked his head and Leia noticed a light blush on his cheeks.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Asked a honey-aged voice next to her. Leia jumped a bit as the figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared in her peripheral.

"It's a free planet, isn't it?" She asked after getting over her initial surprise.

Obi-Wan smiled. "It is now, it would seem. Though I can't figure out what the Separatists might be doing here. There's no resources, no colonies. Nothing useful for their cause."

"Trying to expand their foothold?" Leia suggested.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't think so." He absently stroked his beard. "They were here for _something_ though."

The two lapsed into comfortable silence. Leia was content to sit in Obi-Wan's calming ora given off through the Force. His presence was warm and soothing and rock steady, something she dearly needed.

Their silence was interrupted when a clone trooper run up to Obi-Wan, his standard helmet missing.

"General Kenobi, we have an incoming ship on scanners!"

Obi-Wan stood up. "Separatist?"

The clone shook his head. "No, not a clanker. It's a jedi starfighter."

Obi-Wan appeared startled at this revelation. "Do you have conformation of the pilot?" He inquired, glancing at Leia from the corner of his eye.

"They're not answering any of our hails, sir. We do have a visual on the craft though." The clone shifted awkwardly. "It's eh... sort of rainbow, sir."

Obi-Wan's brow rose in question. The clone handed him a data pad which he readily took. Obi-Wan's brow lifted even higher in surprise. "Well, this is unexpected. No wonder you aren't getting an answer."

"Sir?"

Leia stood and moved to look over Obi-Wan's shoulder at the image on the pad. She blinked in surprise. The clone was right, the ship was most certainly rainbow. The triangular jedi fighter was painted in all colours of the spectrum, blue, red, pink, green, yellow, orange, purple, and everything in between.

Obi-Wan looked to the sky, a knowing smile on his face. "Don't worry, Cody. This ship's a friend. Most of the time."

The clone, Cody, took back the data pad. "If you say so, sir." He saluted and left. Obi-Wan returned to stroking his beard.

"Who's on the ship?" Asked Leia.

Obi-Wan looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eye. "An old friend."

Luke couldn't quite believe it. He was talking to Anakin Skywalker , his_ father_, about something as mundane as star ship mechanics! Never in anything but his wildest dreams had he considered the thought of having such a conversation. It was a good dream to have come true. Even before he knew of his father's identity, he had always imagined him as some extraordinary pilot. And he was right. Luke had full confidence that Anakin Skywalker was the _best_ pilot to live, and he had yet to see him in an actual ship.

Just from words alone Luke could tell he knew his stuff and knew it well.

The two were suddenly interrupted by the sounds of a starfighter engine. Luke looked up to see the oddest ship he'd ever seen preparing to land on an open spot across the camp.

The ship was a sleek triangle shape with a single person cockpit. Luke was half-way certain the original colour had been white. Now the ship sported a colourful mix of graffiti depicting all sorts of odd symbols and creatures. Luke was pretty sure there was the image of a hot pink krayt dragon somewhere among the mess. In the left wing was the domed head of an equally colourful astro droid.

"What is _that_?" Luke asked in shock.

Anakin laughed and started jogging toward the ship. "_That_ is Master Saieu." He called behind his shoulder.

Luke followed behind to meet this person strange enough to pain a jedi starfighter so ridiculously.

The cockpit opened up and out half jumped-half fell a figure dressed in brown robes. The person stood up and dusted off their clothing, a wide smile on their face.

The person was a woman, Luke noticed first. She also appeared human, though that could sometimes be misleading. Her skin was pale and her hair was covered in a shaw, though golden wisps peaked out from underneath.

Two woven braids were attached to the shaw on each side of her temple by little gold pieces. The frills of her robes were embroidered with small bits of blue and green thread. The stitching was clumsy and had more tangled knots than actually strangest feature was the blindfold over her eyes.

Attached to her belt were twin lightsabres, both glossy silver metal. The woman was certainly a sight to behold.

"Come now Artie, can't keep our friends waiting." Said the woman. Her voice was high and musical, with a trilling accent at the end. The lime green droid ejected from the fighter and rolled behind the woman.

She looked up and 'caught sight' of Anakin. Her grin grew even wider, if that were possible. "Ani!" She cried and ran at the jedi, her small form tackling him in a hug. Anakin awkwardly hugged back.

From the side Luke saw Leia and Obi-Wan approaching. His sister seemed slightly disturbed while Obi-Wan wore a bemused smile.

"Nice to see you too, Master."

The woman pulled back, a scowl suddenly on her face. "What have I told you about calling me 'master'? It's annoying. I'm not one of those 'stick up their ass' jedi who spend all their time grumbling in a semi-circle."

Anakin released her from the embrace. "Yet you're a jedi master on the council."

The woman waved a hand dismissingley. "Pfft, I'm much more fun than them." She smiled sweetly at Obi-Wan. "No offense to you Master Obi-Wan."

"None taken Saieu." He offered her a warm handshake which she returned with vigor. "I must ask though, what are you doing here?"

Saieu pouted, actually _pouted_. "I can't just visit two old friends?"

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "I certainly wish, but the war had prevented most friendly excursions."

Saieu sighed. "Too true. I've come with a mission for you."

"Mission?" Anakin inquired. "Why couldn't the council send it to us directly?"

"Well, they tried but they couldn't seem to get communications through to you and I happened to be but a few clicks away so I-" She broke off, her eyes wide. "Oh dear." Saieu suddenly broke off in a sprint toward the forest.

"I hate when she does that." Obi-Wan groaned, but took off after her anyway.

"You know you love it." Anakin jeered. He and the twins followed closely behind the fleeing master.

"This is so confusing." Mumbled Leia.

Luke couldn't help but agree.

They found Saieu kneeling on the ground, a squirming animal in her grasp. "Shhh, it's okay little one. Saieu isn't gonna hurt you. Promise."

Anakin sighed. So she had gone after fuzzy creature again. He was about to dismiss the eccentric master's little excursion as one of her many spur-of-the-moment actions when he felt the Force leave him completely.

Anakin gasped for breath, the loss of it feeling like a punch in the gut. He heard Obi-Wan grunt and knew he felt it as well.

"Nasty little bite, isn't it." Said Saieu from where she crouched. Her voice was dead of all emotion, something that never ended well.

She looked at them with her covered eyes that still managed to look straight through a person. "What you're feeling is force-loss. These little beauties have the ability to neutralize a jedi's connection to the Force. They're called ysalamir."

The yellow lizard-like creature squirmed in her hands, but Saieu held tight. "This is what the droids were after."

Obi-Wan approached her cautiously, though he seemed mostly weary of the creature she held. "How are they able to do this?"

Saieu shrugged. "No a clue." She grinned at the animal and stroked it under its chin. The ysalamir stopped struggling and actually began purring at the jedi's affections.

"Why would the Separatists want these things?" Asked Anakin.

Saieu stood and released the ysalamir on a tree where it scampered up to the top branches. "They're for the Sith Lord." She answered. "Or more correctly, they're for the sith to use on jedi."

Anakin tensed. Use on jedi? The ysalamir's neutralization effects would prevent a jedi from using the Force, rendering them only half armed, and that's if they had their lightsabre. It was a terrifying thought.

"Rather clever, really." Said Saieu, her tone flat.

"This is quite disturbing." Mused Obi-Wan. He looked at the female jedi, an idea forming. "Do you think you could catch another one of those? They could prove useful."

Saieu appeared hesitant. She glanced up the tree. "I suppose, though you must swear it be treated well." She glared at Obi-Wan, daring him to argue.

"Of course." Obi-Wan soother. "I wouldn't dream of doing anything inhuman."

"It's not you I worry about." She grumbled before leaping into the tree and chasing after the wayward reptile.

Anakin shook his head and look at Luke and Leia. "How are you holding up?" He asked.

Luke chuckled dryly. "Fine I guess." He nodded at the tree Saieu had scampered up. "She's really something, isn't she?"

Anakin laughed. "She's not that bad. Sure Saieu's eccentric, but she's a great master and very wise, though she might not always act like it."

"Ah-Ha!" Cheered said jedi from high in the tree. There was a loud _'crack'_ and a short tumble and shriek later, Saieu landed ungracefully on the leaf strewn ground. She groaned and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Ouch." She removed one hand from her robes to reveal a squirming ysalamir. "Got it."

**Another A.N. I just posted a drawing of Saieu on my ****deviant art. Here's the address: art/Jedi-Master-Saieu-483350622?ga_submit_new=10%253A1411167624**


	5. Welcome To The Black Parade

**A.N. Here we go again! Real quick, Saieu's name is pronounces Say-oo. Super long chapter this time, because you've all been so good with all your reviews. I love you my little followers. Remember, reviews feed the muse. ;3**

**_Veritas1995_- Yeah, it's a bit of an interesting chapter to say the least. hehe**

**_AgentTucker_- Yes, I'm still working on Black Suns. I just hit a bit of a writer's block. Bleh. As to the name, it's an art term referring to how light and darkness mix together and react to one another. I thought it was kind of fitting, because Anakin is both light and dark, and one were to be taken away, he wouldn't be the same person.**

**_The-Real-Mando-Man_- Thank you *sweeping bow* Yes, she is something, isn't she? Saieu is very fun to write. I've enjoyed her a lot so far. And it's only going to get better *evil grin***

**_ElsaSkywalker_- Yeah, the twins meeting Anakin is one of the biggest plot points that can be tricky to write well. I'm happy with what I made, and I'm glad you think so too. Ah yes, dear Master Saieu. She's so very fun. I'm going to be careful that she's the only jedi to act that way. It gets very annoying when people write jedi (especially masters) ooc.**

**Long lyrics this time, but I felt like most of them fit this chapter. If you havn't noticed, I've shortened most of of the lyrics to take out the parts that don't relate to the story as much. I felt like almost all of the song went well with this fic, so here it is. And it really helps to listen to the song while you read. Just a suggestion.**

**R&R!**

_"When I was a young boy,_

_My father took me into the city,_

_To see a marching band."_

_"He said, "Son when you grow up,_

_would you be the saviour of the broken, _

_the beaten and the damned?"_

_He said "Will you defeat them,_

_your demons, and all the non-believers, _

_the plans that they have made?"_

_"Because one day I'll leave you,_

_A phantom to lead you in the summer,_

_To join The Black Parade."_

_"Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me._

_And other times I feel like I should go._

_And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets._

_And when you're gone we want you all to know."_

_"We'll carry on,_

_And though you're dead and gone believe me,_

_Your memory will carry on._

_We'll carry on,_

_And in my heart I can't contain it,_

_The anthem won't explain it."_

_"A world that sends you reeling from decimated dreams,_

_Your misery and hate will kill us all._

_So paint it black and take it back,_

_Let's shout it loud and clear,_

_Defiant to the end we hear the call."_

_"To carry on,_

_We'll carry on,_

_And though you're dead and gone believe me,_

_Your memory will carry on._

_We'll carry on,_

_And though you're broken and defeated,_

_Your weary widow marches."_

_"On and on we carry through the fears,_

_Disappointed faces of your peers,_

_Take a look at me cause I could not care at all."_

_"Do or die, you'll never make me,_

_Because the world will never take my heart._

_Go and try, you'll never break me,_

_We want it all, we wanna play this part._

_I won't explain or say I'm sorry,_

_I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar._

_Give a cheer for all the broken,_

_Listen here, because it's who we are._

_I'm just a man, I'm not a hero,_

_Just a boy, who had to sing this song._

_I'm just a man, I'm not a hero,_

_I! don't! care!"_

**_-My Chemical Romance 'Welcome to the Black Parade'_**

"Oi! Watch it little guy!"

Luke looked on warily as Master Saieu battled with the squirming ysalamir in her hands. They were coming up on the base camp, and hopefully the flighty master would be able to put the creature down and explain why she had been sent to the planet in the first place, as she had run off in the middle of debrief.

Several clones paused in their work to watch their small ground enter camp, though most their attention was focused on the estranged female jedi leading them.

"Ow damn it!" Saieu yelled, fanning her injured hand in the air. It seemed the yellow reptile had managed to get a mouthful of jedi finger. "Artie, get a box or something!"

Luke heard the whining beep of an R2 unit. From behind Saieu's brightly coloured ship rolled the droid Luke had seen earlier. Its neon green paint was certainly an eye-catcher.

"Ay! Don't talk back to me you tin can! I need help over here!" Saieu yelled.

The droid beeped again and rolled to an empty crate. Using a mechanical arm, the droid grabbed hold of the crate and dragged it over.

Snatching the crate up, Saieu stuffed the ysalamir inside and slammed the lid. "Eh, that's why I don't have pets." She muttered.

"Is she always like this?" Luke whispered as not to let the woman hear.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Far from it. She's usually worse."

Saieu tossed the crate to a nearby clone. "Think fast!" The box more or less hit the soldier in the head, but he managed to keep it from falling to the ground.

"So, what is it you were telling us before running off?" Questioned Anakin.

Saieu brushed off her robes. "Oh yeah, that." She shrugged. "The Chancellor's been kidnapped.

Leia warily watched the people bustle around her in the bridge of a Republic Star Destroyer. Outside the massive observation windows she could see the brilliant swirling colours of light-speed. She sat in one of the unused pilot chairs, which she had turned around as to see the others standing around in a semicircle.

Across from her stood Obi-Wan, absently stroking his beard. Master Saieu sat on the main control council, her legs swinging back and forth like an impatient child.

To her right Luke leaned against a control panel, his arms crossed and brows furrowed in thought. Next to him was Anakin, his calm demeanor nothing like the turbulent energy currents around him.

Saieu had given then a quick debrief back on the planet and on their flight up to the Destroyer. Apparently General Grievous (someone Leia only knew a small amount of, thank you very much Sidious) had kidnapped the Chancellor and was caught in a firefight above Coruscant. It was decided Kenobi and Skywalker were to best options to lead in a rescue attempt.

"What were you doing all the way out here anyway?" Obi-Wan asked Saieu, effectively breaking the silence.

"I was sent to take your place on Myrkr so you two could continue on to Tythe. The council decided it was too odd an occurrence for the Separatist to land on the planet to not run an investigation." She smiled grimly. "Seems we all have a change of plans."

"What are those creatures? The ysalamir?" Asked Luke. "I've never seen anything like it."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Neither have I."

Saieu crossed her arms over her chest. "Best I can tell is that Myrkr was a planet with heavy Force concentration, so much so that the native wildlife developed a use for it."

"You mean those things are Force sensitive?" Interrupted Anakin.

Saieu didn't appear the least bit annoyed with his interruption. "No, not Force sensitive. They simple have the ability to disrupt it. Most likely they have predators who can use the Force to hunt in some way, and the ysalamir evolved to combat it."

She pursed her lips. "What really has me concerned in what the Separatists might use them for. Based on the ecosystem, there should have been dozens of ysalamir, not just the one. They're mass harvesting them."

All in the group looked wearily at one another. They all had a sinking feeling of what such a thing could mean.

"Soooo," Saieu broke the silence. She directed her sightless gaze at Luke and Leia. "I've been meaning to ask, where you from?"

Leia tensed. She had a feeling their lie would not be as easily excepted by this woman. She took a shaky breath. The way she could look at a person with that covered gaze, it was like having your very soul evaluated and dissected.

"We're from an Outer Rim world-" Luke started.

"Bantha poodoo." The jedi interrupted.

Leia felt her brother tense next to her. "What?"

"I said bantha poodoo. I'd think you would have heard the phrase before, coming from Tattooine.

The bridge became silent except for the soft hum of machinery.

Saieu smirked. "You can't fool me Luke. I know who you are. At least most of it." She looked at Leia. "You too Princess. You know a lot of things when the Force decides to grace the knowledge on you."

"She told you about us?" Luke managed to say through his shock.

Saieu nodded. "She tells me lots of things. Now tell me, what's the future like?"

"Wait, hold on minute." Anakin interrupted. "Future? What are you talking about?"

"Luke was telling the truth when he said the Force sent them. What he was lying about was where they _were _coming from. Or, more correctly, _when_." She looked at Luke. "How far did you come. Twenty years?"

"Tw-twenty three years actually." Luke answered.

Saieu smiled sadly. "A lot can happen in twenty three years."

Leia involuntarily shivered. "Yes it can."

The female knight's gaze snapped to the young woman. "What happened? Who hurt you?" She whispered. "What are you meant to prevent?"

Leia swallowed. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to decide if she should speak. Her eyes met her brother's as a nudge in the Force told her what to do.

"We were sent to prevent the rise of the Empire." She said simply.

"Empire? What Empire?" Anakin demanded.

"What year is it?" Asked Luke.

"Fifteen GrS." Said Obi-Wan.

Luke sat down in the chair next to Leia with a _'thump'_. "Then we have less than a year..." He murmured.

Shocked silence filled the room. Leia felt her gut twist. She hadn't expected them to have so little time. For her father to turn so quickly. She was slowly excepting the fact that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were different. That Anakin was the kind of man she always dreamed her biological father was. No matter how much she wanted to hate him for what he would become, she could not bear to see him become something so... what? Just a day ago she would have said evil. That's what Vader was. But her mind was changed. He wasn't evil, he was broken.

No, Leia would not, could not, see this man become so broken. It would kill a part of her. Something inside her changed. She really truly wanted to help him. But if he dared fall for the darkness again, well the Emperor would be the least of his worries. He'd have hell to pay, curtsy of a very pissed off princess.

Leia stood up, a look of pure determination on her face. "_That _is why we are here. We're going to stop the Empire from ever coming into existence. I would rather die than let that hell become a reality. Again."

"Tell us how to fix it then!" Anakin said half yelling. "You must know who the Sith Lord is." He urged.

Leia felt a strong pull in the Force. _'Not yet my child. All things have their time. You will know when and what to say.'_

Luke shook his head. She could tell he had felt it too. "No, not yet." he said. "The Force instructed us to give information in pieces, as not to make it worse. The last thing we want is for Sidious to catch onto us."

Anakin calmed a bit, but didn't seem fully satisfied with the answer. Leia didn't expect him to be.

"What _can_ you tell us?" Asked Obi-Wan.

"That we would have about six months until it all goes to hell." Leia answered. She glanced at Saieu. She was oddly quiet throughout the conversation. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, as if in deep meditation.

"Also that the jedi get completely whipped out." Luke added sadly. "They were know as the Jedi Purges. I only know of two who survived." He paused. "Well, three actually." He corrected.

Three, thought Leia? Then she realized she wanted to keep the fact Obi-Wan trained him a secret, and was referring to his alter-ego, Ben. For what reason, she didn't know.

He nodded to Obi-Wan. "You and Yoda, as well as the man who trained me."

Anakin swallowed heavily. "And me?" He asked quietly.

Luke shook his head.

Anakin gasped slightly, a look of fear on his face. It was the first time Leia had ever seen him afraid, it was a shocking thing to see on his usually confidant face. It made her feel slightly sick.

"And the Senate?"

"Disbanded, but nothing happened to the Senators themselves." Leia answered. She didn't know why he seemed so concerned about the Senate. "Well, all except the Separatist leaders. They were all killed."

"Well, at least that's good news." Anakin growled.

"Anakin, watch your feelings." Obi-Wan warned.

"Sorry Master."

Leia cleared her throat. "Most of the records from before the Empire were destroyed. I know more about the true history thanks to my father."

"And who is your father?" Asked Obi-Wan.

"Bail Organa." Leia answered simply.

"Organa?" Asked Anakin. He looked at Luke. "But Saieu said you were from Tattooine."

"Leia was adopted as a baby. I was raised by my uncle and aunt on Tattooine. Were were split up because we were extremely Force sensitive and would have been seen as a threat to the Emperor."

The three jedi seemed to except his answer.

"What's your midichlorian count then?" Obi-Wan inquired.

Leia furrowed her brow in confusion. "Midichlorian?"

"They're what allow us to use the Force." Answered Luke. "I don't know much about them other than that." He turned his attention to Obi-Wan. "I'm honestly not sure." He shrugged.

A sudden chuckle came from the main council. Saieu pulled something out of her pocket. "I always come prepared." She said and tossed the device to Luke.

Luke turned it over in his hands. Leia leaned over to get a look at the thing. It was square and silver, about the size of her palm. Half of it was a screen. There was what looked like a tiny needly covered in a plastic cap.

"What is it?" She asked.

"A blood sampler." Answered Saieu. "You prick your finger with the pointy end and it tells you your health, including your midichlorian count." Leia could swear she winked beneath her blindfold.

"Go on." She urged.

Luke shrugged and snapped off the cover. He paused a moment before stabbing the little needle on the tip of this pointer finger. He winced a bit, but other than that didn't react. Several seconds later data appeared on the screen.

Luke blinked in surprise. "That seems... a little high." He mumbled.

"What? What's your count?" Asked Anakin.

Luke paused. "It's rounded to twenty-four thousand." He said at last.

The two males gasped, while Saieu remained relatable neutral in expression.

"Twenty-four _thousand_?!" Anakin gasped.

Luke's brows pulled up in worry. "Is that bad?"

"No, no." Obi-Wan soothed. "Not bad. Just... surprising."

"I would say so." Anakin agreed. "That's the second highest count I've ever seen."

"What's the first?" Asked Luke.

Anakin smirked. "My own. Twenty-seven thousand."

"Impressive."

"Very much so." Added Obi-Wan. "The average count for a jedi is ten thousand."

"Really?" Asked Leia. "What's the average human?"

"About two thousand." Said Saieu.

Luke hander Leia the device. She whipped the small dot of blood off the needle on her dress and pricked herself without batting an eyelash. She's felt worse pain. Much worse.

Her eyes fell on the digital red letters and sucked in a breath of air. "Twenty-four thousand, same as Luke."

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a glance.

"That's very interesting." Obi-Wan muttered.

"We _are_ twins." Leia supplied.

Obi-Wan nodded. "That would possibly be the reason. Most jedi don't have sibling in the Order, and I've never heard of twins. It's unknown territory." He paused. "No wonder you would have been sought out by this 'Emperor'. A count that high is extremely rare, and would make you both very powerful." He looked them over. "You've most likely havn't reached your full potential yet." He mused.

Leia felt a twinge of irritation. She had been working hard with Luke to become a jedi. Thankful Luke answered before she could say something rash.

"Yeah, but we're still pretty good, especially considering how little we've been trained."

Anakin narrowed his eyes. "How long have you been trained?"

"I only had a few hours with that hermit I told you about before he died. Some time later I found Yoda on a planet called Dagobah. I trained with him for a few months."

"And that's it?" Asked Anakin, shocked. "A few _months_?"

Luke nodded sheepishly. "I'm a very fast learner."

"I'll say." Anakin breathed. He shook his head. "I've never heard anything like it." He glanced at Leia. "What about you?"

"I've been training with Luke for about six months."

"Damn, you two really are something."

"Well, I have a lot of hands on experience. I _was_ learning in the middle of a war."

"War?" Obi-Wan asked shocked.

Luke nodded. "More of a rebellion, but with war-like proportions. Twenty-three years from now we bring down the Empire, but not without tragedy. Democracy was ruined. The jedi were all dead, and thousands of people were killed in that span of time."

Leia lifted her chin in defiance. "But we're going to make sure that never happens. I promise you, the sith will _not_ win." Her words left no argument, and no one felt the drive to even try. They had to believe her worlds rang true, of not, there would be no hope.

Saieu suddenly got up from her seat on the floor. "Well, with those happy thoughts, I'm gonna get some shuteye." She wandered over to Anakin and ruffled his hair (a feat she had to get on her tip-toes for). Anakin pushed her away, grumbling.

"Night _Pakki_." She teased.

Anakin groaned. "When are you going to stop calling me that?"

"When you stop calling me Master."

Anakin raised a brow. "I honestly don't understand why you hate the title. All the other jedi see it as a sign of respect."

Saieu snorted. "Respect should come from actions, not titles. Besides, it makes me feel old." She turned to leave, but stopped to gesture to her droid, R2-A3. "Come on Artie, let's get some recharge." The lime green droid beeped and followed behind its master.

Leia raised her brow. "Pakki?'

Anakin groaned while obi-Wan chuckled. "It's something she's called Anakin since he came to the Temple." Said the older jedi. "She's referring to a little Naboo creature called a Voorpak."

Anakin shook his head. "First time I met her, she said I looked like a half drowned Voorpak, so skinny and a 'mop-head of hair,' her words not mine."

Leia had to stifle a laugh. She heard Luke and Obi-Wan chuckle next to her. Even Anakin was grinning in fond memory.

Leia shook her head. "Anyone else think she's a few screws loose in the head?"

"She may seem crazy, but she's still a very powerful jedi." Said Anakin. "She's on the council after all. Even if she _can_ drive you half insane."

"How could someone as crazy as her get on the Jedi Council?" Asked Luke, a hint of disbelief in his tone.

"It's more to do with respect from the other masters. Saieu does tend to... em, _annoy_ them a bit. But they respect her too much to kick her off." Obi-Wan said.

"And we're better for it that they don't." Added Anakin.

Leia cocked her head. "Why's that?"

"She's brilliant." Said Anakin. "She's one of the most gifted Force users in the Order. It's the reason she so... you know." He gestured with his hand.

"She's so in tune with the Force it's like a river flowing through her mind." Obi-Wan said. "Apparently with that much energy going through one mind, it makes it hard to focus on a single thought. It's really quite fascinating."

"Plus she's old." Supplied Anakin.

"What do you mean?" Asked Leia. "She doesn't seem much older than Luke or me." She looked back and forth between Obi-Wan and Anakin. It was the former who answered her.

"We're not sure just how old Master Saieu is, or even what her species is." Said Obi-Wan. "She won't tell us."

Anakin chuckled. "And that's if she even remembers it herself." At the twin's confused looks he elaborated. "She can hardly remember what she did yesterday, much less when she was born. She has to keep a journal just to know what happened last week."

"And she had hundreds of journals." Finished Obi-Wan.

"So either she writes a lot..." Leia mused.

"Or she's very, very old." Luke finished.

"She's been in the Order longer than Yoda, that I know for sure." Anakin said.

Luke blinked. "Longer than _Yoda_? He's over nine hundred years old!"

Anakin smirked. "Yup. There's been records of a 'mysterious Master Saieu' far back as a few thousand years."

Leia shook her head. "That's insane."

"Insane, but true." Said Obi-Wan. "Though she's never played a large part in the Order, or history in general. Most of the time she's traveling across the galaxy, simple exploring. Says it helps her get closer to the Force."

"Like a better looking version of Sifo Dyas." Anakin joked.

Obi-Wan sighed in exasperation. "Only you would say something like that."

Anakin was about to retort when the Star Destroyer jolted as it came out of hyperspace.

"We're here." He grinned.

**A.N. When Obi-Wan said it was year 15 GrS he's referring to the Great ReSynchronization (I'm not sure if it's cannon or not) that took place 35 years BBY (Before Battle of Yavin). This story takes place about six or so months before the rise of the Empire. **

**_I believe I read somewhere that Padme was three months pregnant when RotS started, and being human, there would be about six more months until Luke and Leia were born. _**

**EDIT! I've changed it so that Padmé is six months pregnant. That gives them about two to three months to help Anakin. I felt like a six month span was way too long. Plus, a lot can happen in three months. **

**Much thanks to LelaMekha from for helping me get the dating system right.**


	6. When God Is Gone, The Devil Takes Hold

**A.N. **

**The-Real-Mando-Man: I try to be unexpected. ;P Ah yes, and she'll just keep getting more and more interesting...**

**Veritas1995: Really? Well I misread then lol. Oh well. Three months gives the twins more time to get to know (and save) Anakin. Plus I'm too lazy to fix it... sad. And OH MAW GOSHES! That's a great comparison! I'm gonna have to use that. "Master Saieu is just like Yoda- just taller." Well, I've already compared her to Sifo Dyas**

**SilentDreams22: Updating right now! Boo-yah! Glad you think it's interesting.**

**ILDV: Well I strive to please. But I have to ask, is very and good the only worlds you can say?jk ;3**

**ElsaSkywalker: I'm glad you like her. I was a little worried about my readers' reaction. Seems like I did okay tho. :-D Trust me, this is just the beginning. She gets even better. Bwahahahaha!**

**Chapter six already?! Reader say wut?! We're getting pretty serious now. New pov, new character, and a lot darker. Hold on to your butts!**

_"Oh, Death, оh Death, oh Death, _

_Won't you spare me over til another year?"_

_"But what is this, that I can't see,_

_With ice cold hands taking hold of me?"_

_"When God is gone and the Devil takes hold, _

_Who will have mercy on your soul?"_

_"Oh, Death, оh Death, oh Death._

_No wealth, no ruin, no silver, no gold,_

_Nothing satisfies me but your soul."_

_"Well I am Death. None can excel._

_I'll open the door to Heaven or Hell."_

_"Oh Death, oh Death, oh Death._

_My name is Death, and the end is here."_

**_-Jen Titus 'Oh, Death'_**

Burning flames of light and violence tore through the quiet darkness of space. Plasma bursts chewed against reenforced steel bellies of battleships while fighters twisted between carnage like flies to a corpse.

Red lightning from cannons tore apart ship and sailor with no distinction. Droid against Clone. Man against Machine. Iron against Flesh.

Shrapnel spit from Destroyers and plummeted toward Coruscant in a fiery inferno. The cold hands of space took hold of debris and bodies alike, never to be seen again.

It was a beautiful sight from the observation deck of the _Invisible Hand. _Sidious smiled to himself. Those fickle creatures, waring amongst each other, entirely oblivious of the viper preparing to strike right behind them. It was almost too easy.

Almost, but not quite. The Sith Lord in disguise had came close to be discovered. Actually, he had, but the truth died with the jedi who found him out when Sidious removed his head.

It was quite invigorating, finally being able to kill a jedi himself. Force knows he'd been craving to see their blood spilt. And oh, would it spill.

Sidious' grin twisted into something predatory. Skywalker was nearly his, and now the sith had the perfect chess piece.

The Queen was the most important in the game, after all.

Padmé Amidala, Senator and former Queen of Naboo. _She_ was the key to Skywalker's fall. Sidious' plan had gone far beyond molding the Republic to himself. Every little thing had been meticulous planned. Including the Senator's assassination.

It was never meant to have been successful, _no_. Sidious needed her alive. But he also needed something to get Skywalker back on Coruscant. What better than threaten a close friend?

What Sidious hadn't known was _how_ close. Or really how close they would become later.

The first indication was when Amidala returned to Coruscant after a month long stay on Naboo to 'recover' from the events of Geonosis.

Skywalker himself had returned to the capitol some weeks before the Senator. Sidious had thought nothing of his short stay on Naboo. He was just ensuring Amidala's safety after all. Returning to Coruscant, the Senator had immediately called for a session to debate the use of the new Clone Army.

At the time, Sidious had temporarily regretted keeping her alive. Her empowering words could easily cost him support.

But when she returned the next day to continue the debate, her Force signature had changed. Amidala's ora had always been vibrant, but that day it had been utterly blinding. And every fiber of it screamed the Chosen One's name.

It wasn't just her body that had soaked in his radiance, her very soul shone with Skywalker's Force light.

Such a thing was only possible when two people were intimate, both physically and emotionally. The act did not only join flesh and blood, but the Force lights themselves. Quite literally, their souls merged into an everlasting bond. A connection like it was only possible for those strong in the Force. It should have been impossible for a non-jedi like Amidala.

So Sidious did some digging... What he found shocked him.

Recent medical records reported Amidala as having a midichlorian count high enough to be a jedi. Over seven thousand. Yet he could not feel her in the Force until that day. Looking at older records, Sidious realized why.

Amidala's count was in constant flux, something that should not be possible for an organism. Midichlorians must stay constant or else the being die. Yet Amidala's clearly showed her jumping from four thousand to ten in just a few years.

Sidious turned to his old master for advice. Or rather, his papers. Plagueis after all, was dead. Inside he found his answer.

Amidala was a _Conduit_, an _Augment_. A force sensitive with the ability to absorb and amplify another's ability. They had long since been thought to have been extinct, but apparently not. One existed before him, and she was eternally bound to the _Chosen One_.

It was almost too perfect.

The amount of power the two held together... it was nearly unfathomable.

Such an ora could not be detected by someone without experience. Sidious had that experience, the jedi did not. Skywalker's secret would be safe with him.

Sidious continued digging. Past many dead ends and misleads, he found a marriage certificate.

Now _that_ was interesting.

Relationships among the jedi were nearly nonexistent, and even the occasional relationship was often temporary.

But for a jedi to sanctify a relationship with marriage... well, either Skywalker was utterly infatuated, or utterly mad. Probably both.

That was three years ago. Sidious had watched the couple closely. He had seen how their power grew when they were together, how it became stagnant when they were apart.

All he had to do was wait for the perfect moment...

But his well constructed plans had been turned on their head not three months ago. An explosion of power through the Force so great Sidious was sure even the jedi had sensed it. It woke him from his sleep and left him gasping for air, the brilliant firecrackers of new, innocent_ life _burning his mind's eye.

It took several minutes for Sidious' mind to even fathom what had occurred. A new life had been created, one as brilliant as a newly born star. It could only mean one thing...

The Force's Chosen One had conceived a child.

The implications of the event had left Sidious reeling, so much so he had canceled all meeting that day. He needed time to think.

All his plans had to be altered, new precautions had to be made, more research done. Slowly a plan formed, a plan that would play Skywalker into his hands faster than he had originally thought.

Not only had his master taught him how to influence Midichlorians to sustain long life, he could alter those in the mind to create visions.

Visions very much like those Skywalker had experienced of his mother. A secret only Sidious knew.

It would be all to easy to plant seeds of fear and doubt in the Chosen One's mind, fears that would lead him straight to Sidious. Straight to the dark side.

Once Anakin turned, his wife and child would of course have to be destroyed. They were much to dangerous to keep alive. And their death would sever and last ties Skywalker once had to the light. His very soul would belong to Sidious.

_"Enjoying yourself?" _

Sidious left his musings to face his reflection in the observation window. Only it wasn't his reflection that stared back, but that of a black clad woman. Her skin was an ebony akin to the soulless center of a black hole, her hair twisted snake-coils of charcoal black. Only here eyes were absent of the darkness around her. The blank white orbs encased within her head were a solid milky white, not a blemish on them. They were the eyes of death and eternity and endless knowledge.

"Darksyde." Sidious greeted.

The reflection's face twisted into a serpent's grin. _"You were thinking of my Chosen One." _She stated.

Sidious pursed his lips. "I thought it was the light that created Anakin Skywalker." He mused. He was the most powerful sith to live in decades, Sidious' knowledge was but a mere speck in the vastness of the Darksyde.

_"We both created him." _Her voice was a hypnotic hiss. _"The Chosen is both light and dark. Take one away, and he ceases to exist. He needs us _both_." _She sneered. _"Light bore his righteousness, his love and passion. I gave birth to his hatred, his fear, and his desperation. We are him, and he is us. I poured half my soul into the Chosen, as did my counterpart." _Her grin grew wicked. _"Now it's just a matter of which side is stronger..."_

Sidious leaned into the chair in which he was bound. All for show, of course. He could 'escape' at any moment, if you wanted to even call the feat such a thing. It was more like 'flick the wrist and walk out'.

The things he did to look convincing.

"And what of his attachments?" He said carefully.

The Darksyde's eyes gleamed. _"They will die, just as everything does. Even you, my child, will die. I consume all."_

Anger lit inside Sidious' belly, but she smothered it down. He might be the most powerful sith, but he was speaking to the full embodiment of the Dark Side of the Force. Her power made his talents look like child's play.

A sudden, terrifying thought struck him. If Skywalker had even half of her power, he could very likely kill the sith with a mere thought.

_"Finally caught on, have you?" _Darksyde teased. _"Yes, Anakin will of to choose one of us in the end. Light or Dark. On a day coming soon, he shall choose, and the entire Universe will quake. The Chosen One will either become the most powerful being to tread the path of mortality. Far more powerful than you." _She sneered.

Darksyde blinked her owl-wide eyes at him, the crooked smirk spreading her face so far it seemed to rip.

Sidious felt ice-dead fingers brush against his face as Darksyde stepped out of the reflection, her body becoming solid shadow. She stalked her way to the Sith Lord's side, her predatory eyes never leaving his. Her long black tongue slithered out from her lips and licked up his neck and onto his chin. _"Your fear is so delicious." _She murmured.

"Sith do not fear." Sidious managed to ground out. Cold fingers brushed against his throat with a lover's cress before clamping down light.

_"Everything fears, just as everything dies. Even stars burn out." _Her razor tooth grin grew as she slowly released her hold on Sidious' neck.

_"But only from a star's death does the dragon emerge. My dragon will be born very soon."_

Her image faded back into the window.

_"It is only a matter of him choosing the Sith, or the Jedi..."_


	7. Stars Are Only Visible In Darkness

**A.N. Oh gosh, last one was pretty darn heavy. O.o So, new villain? Darksyde may surprise you.**

**Before we start, I'd like to say something. It can be very hard for me to write sometimes. I'm dyslexic, so I tend to mess up a lot. **

**I'm ocd and a perfectionist. **

**I have severe depression. I take medication for it, but it doesn't always work. If I'm ever absent of posting for a long time, I'm probably in a depressed funk. I've thankfully gotten better. Just a few years ago I was suicidal, but medication and counseling have helped a lot. **

**Writing is my release. It helps me sort out all my thoughts and express my demons. So it means so, so much when people tell me my writing is good, that they enjoy it. I am literally serving my heart and soul to you on a silver platter. Take care for it please.**

**Anyway, Onward and Upward!**

**I've decided to include the actually reviews before answering, just to make it easier for those who are curious as to the original comment.**

**scottusa1: **"Interesting story so far. Keep it up. Laters." **Thanks, I'll be sure to. *wink***

**Veritas1995:** "Well, crud. I kinda figured Sidious was planting images in Anakin's head. It wouldn't surprise me, given that Sidious split the galaxy into two sides of a chess board- and is pitting the two against each other. What happens when you play chess against yourself? You win. Also- Padme as a conduit. That... actually makes sense. Hmmm..." **Hmm, yes, I'd imagine Sidious would use Anakin's fear of loosing his wife against him. But then the visions ended up coming true... something Sidious probably didn't expect. idk, it makes sense to me. lol. Yeah, I wanted to make Padme's character a bit more interesting. I already love her, but I'd imagine Anakin would be drawn to someone who's powers complement his own so well. Anakin's power is dark and violent, even if he uses it for good. Padme's is soft and soothing, bringing out the best in others. Together they create balance.**

**JACarter: **"More please." **Here ya go!**

**The Guest of God: "**I like it. I like it a lot. Thanks." **You are so welcome! I'm so happy you like it.**

**Jedi Angel001: **"Love your story! Well the Darkside making an appearance to Sidious was great.

The part about Padme being much more than we thought was brilliant. Hopefully

with her and the twins, Anakin will choose the Light this time." **Well, if the Force is a living being, it would make sense for both light and dark to have a manifestation. The nature of the Force will be covered more in depth in later chapters, so keep your eyes out. And I love seeing Padme as more than just a normal human. We'll expand on that laster as well. ;3**

**AgentTucker: **"Choose between the dark and light, well of course choose the dark, dark gives u slavery, cookies, lean bodies, release of sexual tensions, power, etc. If course pick the dark. Don't forget about the lighting."

**Oh, man. I nearly busted a gut laughing so hard at this. It really made my day. Actually, it made my week! **

**ElsaSkywalker: **"Darksyde is creepy. She might give me nightmares. I liked how you explained Palpatine finding out about Padmé and Anakin being married. I can't wait for him to meet the twins. Please update soon!"

**Ah, yes, Darksyde. I actually drew a picture of her, as I did with Master Saieu. Links are at the bottom of the A.N. **

**As to Palpatine finding about Anakin's marriage, lots of people have given some explanation on how he knew, but I wanted to make a different take on how exactly he even first suspected. Hmmm, Palpatine and the twins will have quite the encounter, as will Sidious. I see them as different personalities, but Sidious is the Chancellor's true personality, Palpatine is just a very well made mask. That's why I only referred to him as Sidious in the last chapter, it was Sidious speaking, not Palpatine. **

**Saieu drawing: ** art/Jedi-Master-Saieu-483350622

**Darksyde drawing: ** art/The-Darksyde-484075012?ga_submit_new=10%253A1411443063

_"Just one more time before I go,_

_I'll let you know,_

_That all this time I've been afraid,_

_Wouldn't let it show._

_Nobody can save me now, no,_

_Nobody can save me now,"_

_"Stars are only visible in darkness,_

_Fear is ever-changing and evolving._

_And I, I can poison these eyes,_

_But I, I feel so alive."_

_"Nobody can save you now,_

_The king is crowned,_

_It's do or die._

_Nobody can save me now,_

_The only sound,_

_Is the battle cry._

_Nobody can save me now,_

_It's do or die..."_

**_-Imagine Dragons 'Battle Cry'_**

Anakin's heart pounded. Battle raged around him, but inside him was cool clarity. He had one mission, save Palpatine.

His friend was in enemy hands, possibly injured or tortured, and might be killed. He had made a promise to protect the Republic and her leaders when he became a jedi. And Anakin did _not_ break promises.

Palpatine would be coming home today, and not an army, the sith, heaven or hell could stop him...

Turbulence on the ship rocked Luke back and fourth. His hands lightened around the controls. Subconscious reflexes kept the ship from crashing into things.

He dipped to the side to avoid a blast from a Separatist ship. He barrel-rolled over a droid fighter and blasted another out of the sky.

Luke laughed. He couldn't help it. He hadn't had this much fun in months, possibly years. The clone borrowed ship flew excellently. The freedom he always felt when he flew bubbled inside Luke's chest. This was his element. This was where he belonged.

He glanced to the co-pilot seat. Leia's brow was furrowed in concentration as she blasted at droids with the main guns. She was a brilliant shot. She hit every target dead on. On land or air, the twins made a formidable team.

It had only been a few minutes since they had left the massive Star Destroyer with Anakin and Obi-Wan, leaving Master Saieu in charge. Luke absently wondered if that had been the best idea. She had insisted she remain there, while Luke and Leia join the other jedi on a rescue mission.

Honestly, Luke dreaded meeting Chancellor Palpatine, _Darth Sidious,_ in person. The man had nearly killed him with sith lightning back in his own time. He knew Leia felt the same.

Yet Luke refused to pass up the chance of fighting along side his father rather than against him. Plus he felt he needed to keep and eye on Anakin.

He knew Palpatine wasn't called Sidious for no reason. He had wormed his way into his father's mind, filling it with lies with insidious precision.

Luke just had to find out how exactly and stop it. Who knew how close Anakin was to falling. Luke would do anything in his power to keep his father from the fate he knew he could have.

Shaking the dark thoughts away, Luke concentrated on the fire fight before him.

The two pilot fighter glided through the air as Luke came up on two jedi starfighters, one red, one yellow.

Luke noticed a familiar blue and white domed head protruding from the yellow fighter's wing. He had yet to see the droid in person, there had been too much going on. It warmed Luke's heart that his own droid had once belonged to his father. Artoo had know Anakin long before Luke was born. And unlike Threepio, his time's Artoo still had his memory.

The ship bounced as the superheated energy of a blast exploded under the ship's belly. "That was too close." Leia said.

Luke nodded. "I'll be more careful then."

Ahead of them was the massive bulk of a Separatist warship. A glowing laser-show of deadly beams criss-crossed the stars. All around flew droid fighters and clone ships, interlocked in a struggle to the death.

Luke flew closer to the massive warship to get better cover. He dodged flying debris and enemy ships alike as he and his companions made their way toward Grievous' ship. Toward Sidious.

The ship's comm beeped and Obi-Wan's voice came through. "_Look out, four droids inbound . . ._" Just as Obi-Wan said, Luke's systems picked up one four enemy fighters coming up fast from behind.

"_Drop fighters._" Anakin said over the comm. His voice held a tone mischievous excitement. The yellow fighter suddenly jerked to the side and sped up. It began shooting at the droid ships, hitting several spot-on. "_Master, break left, fly through the guns on that tower._" Anakin ordered over the comm as he twisted around

"_Easy for you to say . . . why am I always the bait?_" Obi-Wan complained, but did as Anakin suggested.

Luke blinked in surprise at the friendly banter. He'd always known Obi-Wan and his father had been close, but they were treating each other as brothers would, teasing but caring.

Luke maneuvered his ship around a tower on the warship and came up behind one of the four drop fighters. A shot, curtesy of Leia, collided with one of the ships, destroying it on impact.

Leia cheered at her victory, a wide smile on her face. Against all odds, she was truly enjoying herself. Luke realized it must be a Skywalker thing.

Obi-Wan flew through the gun tower as Anakin had said, two ships following close behind. They rapidly fired at the jedi fighter, hitting it in several places. "_Anakin, they're all over me!_" Obi-Wan yelled over the comm.

Anakin swooped down behind the droids. "_Dead ahead! Closing . . . lock onto him, Artoo . . ._" A quick succession of blasts from the yellow fighter render one of the droid ships nothing but burning rubble.

Anakin laughed. "_We got him, Artoo!_" He aimed and began firing at the remaining droid ship. Artoo beeped. Anakin seemed to somehow understand what the droid said. Luke realized with a shock he most likely did. "_I copy, Artoo._" Anakin muttered as he concentrated on bringing down the enemy ship.

"_I'm going down on the deck._" Obi-Wan commed, already heading closer to the warship.

Anakin sped up after the droid fighter. "_Good idea ... I need some room to maneuver." _

Obi-Wan dived closer to the massive Trade federation ship only to be met with a barrage of laser fire. Behind him chased the drop fighter, which in turn was being chased by Anakin.

Luke concentration on his companions was shaken as the forgotten fourth ship began shooting at he and Leia.

"Leia? Some help?" Luke asked. His twin's eyes flashed in glee next to him as her chair swiveled around, aiming at the incoming droid. A single blast hit it dead on. The ship exploded in a brilliant eruption of red and white flame.

Leia whooped while Luke grinned at his sister. "Remind me to never get on your bad side sis." She made a face at him, but kept smiling.

Anakin chased after Obi-Wan's perusers. The droid were getting way too close for comfort. "Cut right." He told Obi-Wan over the comm. When his former master didn't do so Anakin grew worried, which in turn made him frustrated. "Do you hear me?! Cut right. Don't let him get a handle on you." Anakin shifted his attention to his little blue astrodroid. "Come on, Artoo, lock on! Lock on!"

Artoo beeped as weapons systems locked onto the speeding targets. Unfortunately, drop fighters were agile, and it would take several tries before the computers to get a complete lock.

"_Hurry up! I don't like this!_" Obi-Wan pressed. He maneuvered his ship between two towers of the battle ship. The droid follow, with Anakin himself close behind.

Amongst the heady fire the drop fighter rained down upon Obi-Wan a single shot finally hit true. A good portion of the red fighter's wing was damaged, but wasn't heavy enough to be of immediate worry.

"_Ouch!"_ Obi-Wan muttered as his ship jerked. Arfour beeped in agreement. "_Don't even try to fix it, Arfour. I've shut it down._"

Finally Artoo beeped in success. **"Weapons locked on!"**

"We're locked on..." Anakin told Obi-Wan "We've got him."

He dropped down behind the fighter and blew it apart with a single well aimed shot. "Yeah! We got him... good going, Artoo."

**"And don't you forget it." **The astromech joked, something entirely unheard of among droids. After year of working with the loyal little droid, Anakin had learned to understand Artoo's language, as well as his humor. If only Threepio could be so agreeable...

"_Next time _you're_ the bait..." _Obi-Wan said, sounding both irritated and relieved._ "Now let's find the Command Ship and get on with it..."_

Anakin nodded, even if Obi-Wan couldn't see. His banked his ship to the side and pulled away from the warship. "Lock onto them, Artoo." The little droid beeped and the location of the _Invisible Hand_ appeared onscreen.

"Master, General Grievous's ship is directly ahead."Anakin watched as the massive grew even larger as they neared. "The one crawling with vulture droids."He continued.

Dozens of the insect like flying droids crawled on the destroyer's mass. Several looked up to see the oncoming jedi and transform into flight configuration.

_"I see it."_ Obi-Wan said. _"Oh, this is going to be easy."_ Obi-Wan remarked without humor. Anakin sense his weariness of the inevitable encounter.

He also noticed the bright Force presence of Luke and Leia grow as they got back into formation behind the two jedi fighters. _They might actually survive after all._.. Anakin though humorously.

"Come on, Master." Anakin goaded, ready to cause more destruction. "Don't tell me you've become frail in your old age?"

"_Not with the old age jokes, Anakin. We don't have time for this. There's too much at stake. We need help._" The comm beeped as Obi-Wan added in a new contact. "_Odd Ball, do you copy?_"

"_Copy, Red Leader._" Answered the clone pilot.

"_Mark my position and form your squad up behind me._" Ordered Obi-Wan.

Odd Ball's clone fighter caught up with the three ships. "_We're on your tail, General Kenobi. Set S-foils in attack position._" He ordered his men.

Ahead the _Invisible Hand's_ hanger ray shields powered down, allowing out three droid tri-fighter to join the oncoming vulture droids.

Anakin extend his stability folds on his fighter's wings, readying for the impending conflict. Next to him Obi-Wan did the same.

_"This is where the fun begins."_ Anakin grinned, a wicked smile on his face and a gleeful twinkle in his eyes.

Artoo beeped an alert. **"Ten Vulture Droids straight ahead, coming down the left side."** The droid warned in his language of clicks and whirls. Anakin relayed the information over the comm.

"_Add five Tri-fighters on the right..._" Obi-Wan added.

"Fifteen enemy ships", Anakin grinned "We can take 'em." The yellow fighter pulled ahead of the group. _"I'm going head to head. See you!"_ Anakin laughed, speeding toward the enemy.

"_Take it easy, Anakin._" Obi-Wan warned. It went unheeded, as always.

Four clone fighters move into position behind Obi-Wan and the twins. "_I'm on your right, Red Leader._" Said the lead clone.

Artoo squealed in worry as the five tri-fighters speed by the yellow's right.

"Incoming!" Yelled Anakin form ahead. Four vulture droids streak in and engage Anakin while the tri-fighters take on the rest of the group.

Anakin dropped back to fly side by side with Obi-Wan. "Here we go." Together they veered to the side, Anakin to the right and Obi-Wan to the left. Pulling up quickly, both jedi make a quick loop around the tri-fighters, effectively getting behind them to give chase. They open fire and destroy each fighter.

"_I'm going high and right._" Announced Obi-Wan.

"Hang on." said Anakin. "There are four more of them. I'm coming around on your tail." Anakin broke off to do just that.

"_All right, engage..._" Obi-Wan urged. "_And hurry. These droids are all over me like a rash._"

Anakin snorted. "What are you going to use better analogies?" He teased, swigging to the side firing as he went. All but one droid lit up in an inferno.

His confidence souring, Anakin hit the accelerator and flew over and past the last droid. In a stunning move, he flipped over to face the droid and shot it down head on.

Artoo beeped in warning as they flew through the debris made from the explosion. **"Don't let us get hit!" **He squealed as more enemy ships take chase. "How many back there. Artoo?" The droid beeped frantically. **"Three... Four... this isn't good."** Anakin chuckled. "We'll be fine buddy."

Obi-Wan's voice came through the comm system. "_Anakin, you have four on your tail._" He warned.

"I know!"

"_Four more closing from your left._" Obi-Wan added.

"I know!" Anakin groaned. Obi-Wan was treating him like a youngling again. He hated the occasional coddling. "I'm going low and left." He warned.

"_He still has much to learn._" Anakin heard Obi-Wan grumble through the comm. _We'll see about that..._

He absently noticed as Luke maneuvered his own ship around broken warship parts, trying to shake the two vultures following him. He felt Leia's single minded concentration and determination as she shot droids out of the sky, one after another. She was quite the shot.

Turning back to his own predicament, Anakin swooped down low and skimmed across the hide of a Federation warship. His pursuers followed. Artoo squealed as a shot hit a bit too close for comfort. **"Are you trying to kill us?" **He chided.

"Hang on, Artoo." Anakin soothed the droid. "Obi-Wan, do you copy? I'm going to pull them through the needle."

"_Too dangerous." _Argued Obi-Wan. "_First Jedi rule: Survive._"

"Sorry, no choice." Anakin didn't sound sorry. Not in the least. "Come down here and thin them out a little."

Obi-Wan dropped down to aid Anakin. Arfour beeped. "_Just keep me steady._" He instructed the droid. "_Hold on... not yet... now break left._"

Obi-Wan fired as he swung across the back of the vulture droids, destroying four of them. Anakin engaged the breaks, allowing the last droid to fly past him. With several well aimed shot the droid is nothing but space junk.

Anakin glanced out his cockpit window to see the twin's ship destroy yet another droid ship in a single shot "I'm pretty sure you have the best aim I've even seem." He complemented.

Leia smirked. _"I've had lots of practice."_

_"On Imperials or Han?"_ Anakin heard Luke joked. The pained yelp from the boy let him to believe Leia had punched him on the shoulder. Hard.

Static ushered from the comm system before one of the clone's voices comes through. "_There are too many of them!_" He yelled.

"_I'm on your wing._" Yelled another clone. "_Break left. Break left. They're all over me. Get them off my_-" The transmission cut off.

"I'm going to go help them." Anakin announced, already angling his ship to turn around. He would not leave his troops behind.

He was stopped by Obi-Wan's voice through the comm. "_No, no! They are doing their job so we can do ours. Head for the Command Ship!_"

Anakin felt conflicted as he fought over who to obey, his conscience or his master. The decision was finally made for him when one of the clone fighters was hit my an enemy blast and burst into flames. Out of control, the ship spun to the side until it collided with a star-destroyer.

Artoo squealed a warning. **"Missiles!" **Just as he said, a vulture droid released several missiles, all locking onto the two jedi fighters, ignoring the other ships entirely. It was concerning that the droids apparent lack of interest in them, especially the twins, as they were such a large threat. What it could mean, Anakin had no idea. At the moment he had to make sure he and Obi-Wan made it out of this in one piece. The mystery could wait until they were all safe.

"Missiles! Pull up!"Yelled Anakin to his master. Both yellow and red pulled up to let the missiles pass at the very last moment.

"_They overshot us..._" Anakin nodded, but it seem became apparent that Obi-Wan spoke too soon, as the missiles turned around and headed straight for the jedi fighters.

"They're coming around!" Anakin yelled.

Obi-Wan sped up his ship as two missiles took chase behind him. "_All right, Arfour. No, no. Nothing too fancy_."

Anakin adjusted his systems, flipping switches to make evasion easier. "Surge all power units. Artoo! Stand by the reverse thrusters." He instructed his droid. **"Aye captain!" **Artoo joked in an attempt to lighten the dire mood.

Anakin grinned at his droid. He banked upward, his ship spinning in tight circles. The two missiles followed close behind. Too close, as the missiles collided and exploded midair.

Anakin laughed. "We got 'em. Artoo!" He cheered. Artoo beeped in false annoyance. **"Would you expect any less of me?"**

A ways away two missiles still pursued Obi-Wan. They were quickly gaining on him.

"Flying is for droids." Anakin heard Obi-Wan mutter. The two missiles caught up to Obi-Wan, but pass him. The missiles bursted apart and small white balls clattered onto Obi-Wan's ship. The balls unfurl to reveal spider-like droids that quickly swarm the fighter's vital paneling.

_"I'm hit! Anakin?"_

"I see them... Buzz Droids." He groaned.

The buzz droids quickly got to work tearing apart Obi-Wan's ship. One skittered up to Arfour, it's drill like appendages whirling.

_"Arfour, be careful. You have one..." _Too late. The red astromech's head went flying off into space.

_"Oh dear." _Obi-Wan muttered. Warnings beeped from his ship's controls. "_They're shutting down all the controls!_"

"Move to the right so I can get a clear shot at them." Anakin instructed.

_"The mission. Get to the Command Ship. Get the Chancellor!"_ A sudden jolt of his ship caused Obi-Wan to hiss as his head banged against the side of his cockpit._"I'm running out of tricks here."_

Anakin maneuvered his ship just behind Obi-Wan's and fired at the skittering droids. He managed to vaporize a few, but also damaged his friend's ship in the process.

_"In the name of..."_

"Steady... steady..." Anakin muttered in concentration.

_"Anakin, hold your fire... hold your fire! You're not helping here!_"

Anakin grimaced "I agree, bad idea." He paused, thinking. Finally, "Swing right..."

Before Obi-Wan could do so, a buzz droid ripped out some wiring that caused white fog to cover his wing shield.

_"Wait.. wait... I can't see a thing! My cockpit's fogging. They're all over me, Anakin."_

"Move to the right." Anakin ordered.

"Hold on, Anakin. You're going to get us both killed! Get out of here. There's nothing more you can do."

"I'm not leaving without you, Master." Anakin moved his ship next to the red fighter. He tipped his wing down and scrapped it over Obi-Wan's own. He managed to destroy all but one of the pesky little droids.

The last surviving droid scampered from the red ship to yellow, it's little drilled swirling. It stalked up to Artoo.

"Get 'em, Artoo!" Anakin encouraged. "Watch out!"

**"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Master." **Artoo extended his arm, little spikes of electricity crackling between the metal fingers. He lunged at the other droid, but it danced out of the way. Artoo beeped in frustration.

_"Artoo, hit the buzz droid's center eye."_ Obi-Wan suggested.

The droid extended an arm and aimed a stream of electricity at the swerving buzz droid. The electricity hit the droid dead on and it convulsed before collapsing and falling from the ship/

"Yeah, you got him!"

"_Great, Artoo._"

**"And you doubted me."**

"I never said that..." Anakin teased. The droid whirled in fond annoyance Anakin's attention turned to Obi-Wan. "Stay on my wing.. the General's Command Ship is dead ahead. Easy... pull up .. Head for the hangar."

_"Have you noticed the shields are still up?"_

"Oh?! Sorry, Master." Completing an impressive barrel-roll, he shot out the shield generators, disintegrating the protective wall of energy.

_"Oh, I have a bad feeling about this."_

Three ships managed to slip into the hanger before the blast door slammed shut, the jedi fighters and a duel-pilot clone ship.

Opening his cockpit, Obi-Wan jumped out from his burning ship before it slammed into the opposite wall. He waited no time to begin cutting through the droids gathered in the hanger. Anakin soon joined him, as well as the Nilurey twins. The four of them made short work of the remaining droids.

"Artoo, locate the Chancellor." Obi-Wan instructed. Artoo beeped and plugged himself into a computer terminal. He whistled in agitation.

"Tap into the ship's computers" Suggested Anakin.

Artoo whistled and a hologram of the Trade Federation ship appeared. A red light flashed from the highest spire of the ship.

"The Chancellor's signal is coming from right there.  
>Obi-Wan said, pointing to the glowing dot. "The observation platform at the top of that spire."<p>

Leia stepped up to them, her arms crossed. "Then what are we waiting for." There was clear agitation in her voice.

Anakin glanced around. "I sense Count Dooku..."

"I sense a trap."

"Next move?" Anakin inquired, grinning.  
>Obi-Wan returned the gesture. "Spring the trap."<p>

**So yeah, Artoo can talk... Um, it just sort of happened... This one was kinda a pain to write. :P**


	8. All For Freedom And For Pleasure

**Chapter 8: All For Freedom and For Pleasure**

**A.N. **

**Me: So um, I'm kinda being threatened by my own muses to get my butt in gear and write.**

**Saieu: Yup! We're over here giving the author hell. *cackles***

**Darksyde: The hell part being mostly me.**

**Me: Oh Force help me.**

**Force: *suddenly appearing* You called?**

**Me: *facepalms***

**Darksyde: Hey, you wanna hear a joke?**

**Saieu: Sure!**

**Force: Oh no, don't get her started.**

***too late***

**Darksyde: How many babies does it take to paint a house?**

**Me: *knowing where this is going* please no...**

**Saieu: Ummm... idk, how many?**

**Darksyde: Depends on how hard you throw them! *laughs evilly***

**Saieu: *looks horrified***

**Force: That's just sick.**

**Me: *groans***

**Darksyde: Okay, okay, I got another one. What's the hardest part of a vegetable to boil?**

**Me: Do I even want to know?**

**Force: Probably not.**

**Darksyde: The hospital bed! *falls over laughing***

**Saieu: *stares of horrified***

**Force: *deadpans* Oh great, I think you broke her...**

**Darksyde: *gets up* Okay, just one more.**

**Everyone: NO!**

**Darksyde: *continues anyway* Why did Sally fall of the swing?**

***Anakin walks in* Why?**

**Darksyde: Because she didn't have any arms!**

***everyone cringes***

**Darksyde: Okay, just one more.**

**Saieu: That's what you said last time!**

***Sidious walks in***

**Darksyde: Knock knock.**

**Sidious: Who's there?**

**Darksyde: Not Sally!**

***Everyone facepalms***

**Saieu: Shouldn't we answer reviews?**

**Force: *nodding* Yes please. I can't stand anymore jokes.**

**Me: *opens up e-mail* Okay, the first one is from _ElsaSkywalker._ Thank's for the feedback. I'm really glad you liked it. Yeah, flight-battles, or fights in general can be really confusing to follow. Considering I based it off the actual movie script probably helped a lot, but I'm glad it was understandable.**

**Saieu: At _Vertas1995 _Ah yes, he could. The writer just felt it might seem a bit...weird... to have it written out like that. _Personally_, I thought it was fine. *snickers***

**Me: At _AgentTucker, _thanks again for all your support. I really appreciate it. I'm honestly not sure how I come up with the humor. The muse sort of just writes itself.**

**Darksyde: That we do! Can I answer one now?**

**Me: One sec. Anyway, thanks for the support, and not just for the stories. *blows kiss* *to Darksyde* Okay, your turn.**

**Darksyde: Yes! _Scottusa1 _Ah, yes, space battles. The carnage, the death...!**

**Me: Ooookay, that's enough.**

**Darksyde: *pouts***

**Me: To _ILDV _Thanks. Really? Well I applaud you then. It must be really difficult to read something in another language like that. I'm glad you've taken the time and effort to translate this to read it.**

**Darksyde: Pffft**

**Me: Shut up and be nice. *back to ILDV* Thanks again.**

**Force: I havn't answered any.**

**Me: Sorry, there's none left. I didn't think you would really want to.**

**Force: *shrugs* If the others get to I might as well. Next time then.**

**Me: Speaking of next time, these guys will be hanging out in the A.N. for now on, so if you want your review answered by anyone (cannon or not) just say!**

**Saieu: Now on to the story! :3**

_"Welcome to your life,  
>There's no turning back,<br>Even while we sleep,  
>We will find you."<em>

_"Acting on your best behavior,  
>Turn your back on mother nature,<br>Everybody wants to rule the world."_

_"It's my own desire,  
>It's my own remorse,<br>Help me to decide,  
>Help me make the most."<em>

_"Of freedom and of pleasure,  
>Nothing ever lasts forever,<br>Everybody wants to rule the world."_

_"There's a room where the light won't find you,  
>Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down,<br>When they do I'll be right behind you."_

_"So glad we've almost made it,  
>So sad they had to fade it,<br>Everybody wants to rule the world."_

_"I can't stand this indecision,  
>Married with a lack of vision,<br>Everybody wants to rule the world.  
>Say that you'll never, never, never, never need it.<br>One headline why believe it?  
>Everybody wants to rule the world."<em>

_"All for freedom and for pleasure,  
>Nothing ever lasts forever,<br>Everybody wants to rule the world."_

**_-Tears for Fears 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World'_**

The sterile metal walls that were the intestines of the ship weren't inviting in the least, though that was probably the idea. Still, they could have at least set out a welcoming mat or something, Anakin mused. One of the greatest terrors of the galaxy, inhospitable hosts.

While Artoo had remained with the ships in the below hanger, the group of four jedi (well really two jedi. Anakin still wasn't sure what the Nilurey twins.)

Suddenly the familiar sound of metal rolling on metal echoed through the hallway.

"Destroyers!" Anakin yelled in waning.

The four jedi rushed down the metallic hallways, droidicas tight on their heels. Suddenly they came upon a split in the halls. Left or right?

"Anakin?" Pressed Obi-Wan.

Anakin reached for his comm to contact Artoo, but was cut off with a rain of blaster fire from behind. "No time!"

A powerful blast managed to strike a power conduit in the wall, making the entire thing combust. The four jedi leapt out of the way, two on the left, two on the right.

The droidicas once more took on their rolling state and forced the jedi to flee separately down different halls.

"This is quite exciting." Luke quipped to Obi-Wan. Behind them the four destroyers drew closer.

"Quite." The older man answered. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of this." Before Luke could fully process what Obi-Wan was doing, the elder jedi had stopped and turned. The destroyers, however, themselves kept coming. Luke stopped next to his future master.

Waving a hand, Obi-Wan sent a powerful Force push at the killer droids, slamming two of them into a wall.

The odds slightly evened, Luke activated his lightsabre and rushed one of the droids, cutting it in half before it could engage its shields. A quick but brutal Force crush took care of the last.

The two jedi were left panting heavily, but no longer in immediate danger.

"Never a dull moment." Luke grinned between gasps. Obi-wan smirked back, before gesturing towards an elevator lift. "After you."

Leia ran just behind Anakin, five destroyer droids trailing close behind. It was becoming quite bothersome, truth be told. First they had to _crash _into this Force-forsaken battleship, but then get separated from her brother and stuck with the one being in the entire galaxy she feared/hated more than anyone else... well, it was _not_ Leia's day

A metaphorical 'break in the storm' came in the appearance of an elevator door just ahead.

"Come on." Anakin urged. She honestly didn't need telling twice. The two actually slammed into the metal door, unable to slow down in time due to their break-neck running. Behind them the droidicas unrolled and began shooting.

Anakin unsheathed his lightsabre to deflect the bolts while Leia tried to open the lift. Apparently it was currently on one of the _bottom_ floors and would time some time to reach their level.

"_Come on_." She grumbled, the droid blasts getting uncomfortably close.

Finally the door opened, and they rushed inside amidst a hail of laser bolts. The elevator door slid shut and the two jedi let out a sigh of relief. It was quickly shattered.

"Drop your weapons!" Came the metallic voice of a battle droid behind the two. "I said drop 'em."

Leia glanced at Anakin before igniting her yellow blade and cutting into the marionette soldiers. Soon they were nothing but a pile of gold metal and wires sparking on the floor.

Leia glanced at Anakin. This was actually... kinda fun, she had to admit. Nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of running for one's life.

The moment was broken when Anakin's comm went off and Obi-Wan's voice filtered through. "_Do you just happen to be on an elevator?_"

Anakin snatched up the small device and answered, "Yeah, why?"

"_Well, our just _stopped_ for no apparent reason." _Obi-Wan grouched. _"Mind contacting Artoo and getting that droid of yours to get us moving again. It's elevator 31174."_

Anakin rolled his eyes but switched the comm frequency to do as Obi-Wan asked. "Artoo? Do you copy?" A quite beep issues from the comm. "Activate elevator 31174, would you?" Another beep.

Suddenly, the sound of hissing breaks and a startled cry came from the other end.

"Master?" Anakin asked. Leia's brow creased with worry for her twin. "Luke?" She called out to the comm.

_"Anakin, the elevator's going down!" _Obi-Wan's voice managed to get through the static haze of the plummeting vessel. _"Have that blasted droid of yours stop this falling death trap!"_

"Stop, stop! Artoo, they need to be going up." Anakin pressed over the comm. Still no answer from the little astrodroid. "Artoo, do you copy? They need to be going up, not down."

From the other frequency came the hiss of brakes and the sound of two bodies falling to the ground with a thump.

_"Now, that's better..."_

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"  
>Obi-Wan scoffed from across the line. "<em>Well, Artoo <em>has _been..._"  
>"No loose wire jokes..." Anakin interrupted. "He's doing the best he can."<p>

Obi-Wan's voice sounded almost offended._"Did I say anything?"_  
>"He's trying!"<br>_"I didn't say anything!" _Obi-Wan exclaimed. Leia couldn't deny herself a slight giggle. The exchange between the two men was so surreal, yet horribly funny. This was one aspect of her new-found time she thought she might just get used to.  
>But before long the elevator doors slipped open and she was once more forced to face the real world.<p>

Together Leia and Anakin stepped carefully into the main room of the General's Quarters. Before them, at the far end of the room, sat the Supreme Chancellor himself, bound to a throne-like chair.

Leia's heart took on an erratic rhythm. This was the man behind it all. This was the man who destroyed her home, killed the Republic, and turned her father to the Dark Side.

A deep burning hatred began to form inside Leia. She _hated _this man.

But could she risk relieving him tot he jedi now? Would it be better or worse for the galaxy? Could she do it? Could she afford not to?

Maybe she could just kill him, make it look like an accident...

A soft whisper in the Force made her stop. Leia closed her eyes. When they opened again, her choice had been made.

A choice that would forever change the fate of the galaxy.

Luke leaned back against the rising elevator, trying to catch his breath. That had been quite the experience, he mused.

"Does this sort of thing happen often?" He asked Obi-Wan.

The jedi master managed a smile. "Oh, more than you would think." He too seemed to be trying to clam his elevated heart rate. Seems falling several hundred feet in an elevator can do that to you.

With a soft chime so different than what the duo had just endured the elevator doors slid open.

"Back into the fray." Luke joked. Together they exited onto the top floor. Now all they had to do was find the blasted observation deck.

The sound of approaching metal footsteps was bound to put them on hold for a bit.

"I've been looking forward to this." The greying man smirked. Leia narrowed her eyes. So this was the famed Count Dooku, lackey of Sidious and the serpent's head of the Separatists.

"My powers have doubled since the last time we met, Count." Anakin sneered, his lightsabre ignited and ready to battle. Leia absently wondered what they might be talking about, but the slowly rising tension reminded her to focus on the now.

"Good." Dooku taunted. "Twice the pride, double the fall."

With a dexterity unexpended for someone his age, Dooku lunged. The suddenness of the attack forced the two jedi to fall back, if only marginally. Anakin appeared much less surprised by the Count's agility than Leia.

With renewed vigor, she returned to the battle, determined to see this to the end. Three glowing blades clashed, one red, one blue, one gold.

The battle of fates had begun.

Leia fought hard, sweeping low at Dooku's legs while Anakin struck high. The sith countered each attack with practiced ease. He was quite the formidable opponent.

But, she realized with a growing sense of awe and fear, Anakin was even more so.

As the battle proceeded, Leia felt herself growing slowly tired. The Count too, seemed to be tiring. Anakin however, only seemed to become stronger as he grew more and more angry. The young jedi continued to drive the attack on Dooku.

A sudden wall of invisible energy wrapped itself around Leia and tossed her to the side. She gasped in pain as she hit the metallic wall. Hard.

Beyond her Anakin and Dooku continued their violence waltz. While Leia forced herself to stand, Dooku led Anakin up a set of stairs leading to Force knows where. As they reached the upper landing of the General's Quarters, Anakin suddenly took a flying leap over Dooku.

Leia raced up the stairs to aid her fellow jedi, cutting through two super battle droids on her way up only to be taken hold of by Dooku via force choke. Her brown eyes widened as all air supply was cut off.

Anakin rushed to help her, but Dooku lashed out with a force straightened kick that sent him in painful trajectory right towards an arch.

Leia would have winced at the ugly smack that sounded had it not been for her own cumbersome predicament.

Leia was suddenly flung across the room where she hit the wall hard. She felt as her head smacked against the metal, the trickle of blood that crept down her brow.

Slowly she felt herself loosing consciousness. Leia's eyes drifted close as Anakin once more engaged Dooku. The last thing she saw was the look of pure fury on his face before all went dark.

**A.N. So I thought you guys deserved another update, even if it's short and a cliffhanger.**

**Saieu: And remember to review! The author lived off those.**

**Darksyde: And call her Newt. Apparently she was almost named that.**

**Me: *facepalm* Though it is kind of a cool name...**


	9. Glory and Gore

**_Chapter Nine: Glory and Gore_**

**A.N.**

**Me: Here we go again, another rodeo.**

**Leia: I don't like how you made me black out last chapter.**

**Luke: Yeah, I wanted to know what happened in the fight.**

**Anakin: ...**

**Me: Havn't you guys seen the movies?**

**Luke and Leia: No**

**Saieu: Oh, I have! They're great! Except Revenge of the Sith made me cry...**

**Luke: Why would it make you cry?**

**Saieu: Ummmm...**

**Force: Spoilers.**

**Me: Yes, spoilers. Speaking of which, any of you readers have an idea where this is going?**

**Force: We better not all die.**

**Darksyde: *suddenly appears in a cloud of black smoke* What?! Forcey, where's your sense of fun?!**

**Force: Dying is not my idea of fun.**

**Darksyde: Bah, you're boring. Besides, the two of us can't die anyway.**

**Force; If Sidious gets his way we can.**

**Darksyde: Shhh, they don't have to know that.**

**Sidious: *walks in* What where you saying about me?**

**Me: Get out. You weren't invited.**

**Sidious: I am a sith lord! I invite myself!**

**Me: This is my A.N. and my fic, now leave.**

**Sidious: Fine! *leaves***

**Saieu: Ooh! Guess what we watched the other day?**

**Anakin: You watched a movie?**

**Saieu: Yup.**

**Anakin: And didn't invite us?**

**Saieu: Well considering me, Force, and Darksyde are all OCs, and therefore, part of the author, we saw the movie when she did. You all are pre-established characters. She's just borrowing you.**

**Me: Which reminds me, I don't own Star Wars.**

**Leia: Well what movie did you see?**

**Darksyde: Well first we watched 9. You know that post-apocalyptic one about dolls? It was good.**

**Saieu: But everyone died!**

**Darksyde: That's why I liked it.**

**Saieu: You're evil.**

**Darksyde: Just now catch on did you?**

**Force: *interrupting* We also watched Jumper.**

**Saieu: Oh yeah! I liked that one. **

**Me: It was pretty good. But I kept thinking,"Mace, why the hell are you trying to kill Anakin?!" and "Bella, what the f*ck are you doing here?!" and a little "Anakin, what happened to your hair?! Bring it back!"**

**Anakin: Wait, Mace Windu was trying to kill me?**

**Me: No, Samuel L Jackson's character was trying to kill Hayden Christensen's character.**

**Anakin: I... don't understand.**

**Me: Hayden played you in episode II and III. Jackson played Windu.**

**Anakin: Um.. I'm just going to pretend I understand.**

**Obi-Wan: Why havn't I been in one of these yet?**

**Me: You are, just now.**

**Obi-Wan: So I am...**

**Leia: We going to do answers?**

**Me: Yup. Who wants to go first?**

**Darksyde: *raises hand excitedly***

**Me: Other than Darksyde**

**Darksyde: *puts hand down and glares***

**Force: I will since I didn't get to go last time. Ehem, _Scottusa1; _yes the author does have a nasty habit of writing cliff hangers. I'll do my best to keep her from writing any more.**

**Me: *glares* Okay Anakin, the next reviewer wanted you or Leia to answer.**

**Anakin: Why me? Why not Leia?**

**Me: Cuz I love to pick on you, that's why. Be thankful I'm writing an au where you might actually get a happy ending.**

**Anakin: Whatever. _Chosen1; _(I thought that was me...) Yeah, Leia hates me less, still not sure why.**

**Leia: Spoilers.**

**Anakin: *rolls eyes* I got that. And none taken. I will admit, I'm not the most patient person. At all.**

**Saieu: May the Force be with you as well! And _ILDV_, yes, I am quite wonderful, aren't I?**

**Luke: I think they mean the story.**

**Saieu: Oh hush, let me have my moment.**

**Darksyde: Moment's over! My turn! *reads review* _ElsaSkywalker... _what kind of name is that?! Frozen sucked lightsabre!**

**Force: *elbows Darksyde***

**Darksyde: Ow! _Fine. _I'll be nice. Nothing stood out? Hah! Well, I wasn't in it, so there you go. But soon. *terminator voice* I'll be back. We love to tease her about Newt.**

**Me: Shut up!**

**Me: *looks through e-mail* Looks like that's all of them.**

**Saieu: Oh! Are you going to make that Jumper fic?**

**Me: *sigh* Might as well. Plot bunny bit me in the ass, and Saieu's kinda become obsessed with the movie.**

**Saieu: Am not! *hugs Hayden Christensen plushie***

**Darksyde: *steals plushie and rips off legs and arms* There, now it's movie accurate.**

**Saieu: *stars crying***

**Me: Damn it Darksyde! You just had to, didn't you?!**

**Darksyde: *shrugs***

**Force: Just read the story already. I'll deal with these two...**

_"There's a humming in the restless summer air_

_And we're slipping off the course that we prepared_

_But in all chaos, there is calculation_

_Dropping glasses just to hear them break_

_You've been drinking like the world was gonna end (it didn't)_

_Took a shiner from the fist of your best friend (go figure)_

_It's clear that someone's gotta go_

_We mean it but I promise we're not mean."_

_"And the cry goes out_

_They lose their minds for us_

_And how it plays out _

_Now we're in the ring_

_And we're coming for blood"_

_"You could try and take us_

_But we're the gladiators_

_Everyone a rager_

_But secretly they're saviors_

_Glory and gore go hand in hand_

_That's why we're making headlines_

_You could try and take us_

_But victory's contagious"_

_"Delicate in every way but one (the swordplay)_

_God knows we like archaic kinds of fun (the old way)_

_Chance is the only game I play with, baby_

_We let our battles choose us"_

_"No-one round here's good at keeping their eyes closed_

_The sun's starting to light up when we're walking home_

_Tired little laughs, gold-lie promises, we'll always win at this_

_I don't ever think about death_

_It's alright if you do, it's fine"_

_"We gladiate but I guess we're really fighting ourselves_

_Roughing up our minds so we're ready when the kill time comes_

_Wide awake in bed, words in my brain, _

_"Secretly you love this do you even wanna go free?"_

_Let me in the ring, I'll show you what that big word means"_

**_-Lorde 'Glory and Gore'_**

Luke skidded to a stop just as the doors across the hall slid open. Out stepped Anakin, followed closely by the Chancellor. _Sidious._

But really, that's not what worried Luke. Sidious he could handle. But what lay crumpled in Anakin's arms gave him a great deal of worry.

"Leia!" Luke cried and ran to his sister.

"She's alright, just unconscious." Anakin soothed. Luke gently took his sister from the man's arms. He was surprised with how light she really was, but ushered those thoughts away to instead focus on building a healing trance around her.

"What of Dooku?" Luke heard Obi-Wan ask, though his voice sounded like it was being filtered through water.

"Dead." Anakin answered simply. Luke brushed a strand of hair from Leia's face. He felt her slowly returning to consciousness the longer he maintained the trance.

"We need to go." Anakin suddenly said, breaking Luke from his thoughts.

Luke nodded absently, shifting Leia to lay over his shoulder. He then turned and followed the other three toward an elevator.

Anakin pressed the down button, but the elevator remained silent and still. "The elevator's not working." He muttered. Taking out his comm, Anakin addressed his astromech "Artoo" The droid beeped over the line. "Activate Elevator 3224."

Suddenly the ship shifted to its side as the elevator doors chimed opened. Palpatine was thrown to the ground, but Obi-Wan managed to grab hold of his arm before the chancellor could fall. Anakin jumped to the door frame of the elevator, and helped Luke up, Leia still held tightly in his arms.

"Artoo... do you copy?" Anakin called over the comm. He was met with only static. "Artoo, come in!"

Suddenly the elevator shaft rotated, becoming a long hallway of sorts.

Luke clung to the doorframe with Leia on his shoulder, behind them Obi-Wan helped Chancellor as he struggled to join him.

Anakin jumped into the horizontal shaft, Luke following close behind. Obi-Wan and Palpatine follow just after.

"We can't wait." Said Anakin. "Come on, we have to be fast."

Together the group started running. After a few minutes and many metres of running, the ship began to roll again, causing the Jedi and the Chancellor to jump from one side of the elevator to the other.

Then the ship started to move upright, the thrusters taken control against the pull of gravity. The warship once more righted itself, causing the group to slide down the shaft. In the course of their decent, Anakin managed to grab a handful of wires in a control box with one hand. Palpatine grabbed onto the Jedi's leg. A few feet below, Luke latched onto a similar set of wires, Obi-Wan grabbing hold next to him. As the ship righted itself, they were left hanging in the seemingly bottomless elevator shaft.

It is then that Leia chose the opportune moment to regain consciousness. She glanced around, and nearly jumped out of Luke's embrace. "Easy..." Luke soothed. "We're in a bit of a situation."

"Did I miss something?" Asked Leia.

She looked up to see Palpatine and Anakin, then down to view the terrifying aspect of falling to the near bottomless pit.

"Oh, Force help us." She grumbled.

The sudden sound of Artoo's twitter over Obi-Wan's comm breaks the silence of the shaft. The sudden noise of the elevator brakes releasing echoed through the chasm and everyone looked up, only to see the elevator heading toward them.

Leia's eyes widen. "What is that?"

Obi-Wan and Anakin looked up to watch the elevator approach them at high speed, then Obi-Wan turned to Anakin.  
>Anakin took the comm from Obi-Wan and addressed the droid on the other end in semi panicked tones "Artoo, Artoo, shut down the elevator!"<p>

"Too late!" Yelled Obi-Wan. "Jump!"

They all released their hold on the wiring and fell about three hundred feet down the chasm. Noticing a ledge farther down, Anakin and Obi-Wan together take out and throw grappling hooks. The hooks manage to catch onto the ledge as they continue to fall. All the doors in the elevator shaft opened up, and the group swung through the open door into a hallway, just in time as the elevator roars by.

Gravity did its trick and all five manage to swing out of the shaft and onto stable floor.

Obi-Wan was the first to get up, the others following shakily behind him. "Let's see if we can find something in the hangar bay that's still flyable." He advised. "Come on."

Anakin once more took out the comm. "Artoo, get down here."

The, together, they headed toward the hanger.

A hiss filled the air as the group ran, and the yellow haze of ray shields dropped around them, catching them in an electronic box in the middle of the hallway.

"Ray shields!" Anakin hissed.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath to express his total disappointment. "Wait a minute, how'd this happen? We're smarter than this."

Anakin shook his head. "Apparently not, Master." He smirks. "Besides, I was distracted."

Obi-Wan groaned. "Oh, so all of a sudden it's my fault."

Anakin lifted a brow. "You're the Master."

Leia snorted, her patience wearing thin. "Can we stop bickering for a moment and figure out how to get out of this?" Luke smirked at his sister's audacity, but remained silent himself.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm open to suggestions here."

It was then that Palpatine decided to speak up. "Why don't we let them take us to General Grievous. Perhaps with Count Dooku's demise, we can negotiate our release."

The Jedi looked at each other in disbelief. Leia half sneered. "Really? The _thing _responsible for the death of dozens of jedi, negotiate?"

Anakin shifted to the balls of his feet, a stance Luke recognized as offensive. "I say . . . patience."

"Patience?" Obi-Wan snorted. "That's your plan, is it?"

Anakin nodded, seemingly offended by Obi-Wan's lack of faith in him. "Yes, Artoo will be along in a few moments and he'll release the ray shields.."

A sudden screech filled the air as said droid came skidding across the hallway and bashed into the opposite wall. He then took a moment to compose himself, shaking his domed head in a very human like action.

Anakin smirked at his former master. "See? No problem."

Suddenly several doorways opened, revealing the silvery forms of two destroyer droids and sixteen super battle droids.  
>"Don't move, dummy." One of the battle droids hissed in its rather unthreatening robotic voice. Artoo sputtered something at the offending droids and zapped it in the arm. "Ouch!" The silver warmonger proceeded to kick Artoo.<p>

Obi-Wan turned to Anakin, a grim smirk on his lips. "Do you have a plan B?"


	10. A Better Way to Fall

**Chapter 10 "A Better Way To Fall"**

**A.N.**

**Me: "So sorry for the late update. Two words, High School. Looking into collages is a bitch too though. I'm so pumped that all these people like my stories so much, and not just this one. The feedback I've gotten all everything is amazing. Thanks so much."**

**Saieu: *butting in* "Can I talk now?"**

**Me: *sighs* "You kinda already are..."**

**Saieu: "Hello lovely little readers! How are you doing?"**

***Leia walks in***

**Leia: "Are we doing answers already?"**

**Me: "Not yet."**

**Saieu: *waves at the computer screen***

***Darksyde suddenly appears in Saieu's lap. The jedi shrieks and falls out of her chair. Darksyde simply floats overhead, laughing***

**Darksyde: "You should seen your face!"**

**Saieu: "Ha ha, I'm sure it was hilarious."**

**Darksyde: "I've got another joke for you slimy little peasants."**

**Me: *groans* "Please no more dead babies."**

**Darksyde: "No dead babies, I promise." *clears thought* "So, Hitler and his generals are going over his plans for the Jews-"**

***Luke walks in with Obi-Wan***

**Luke:" What are Jews?"**

**Darksyde: "Shut up and let me tell the joke! Anyway, Hitler says _"I'm going to kill 6 million Jews and a clown" _One of his generals asks him why a clown. Hitler responds, "_See, I told you no one cares about the Jews!" *laughs hysterically*_**

**Luke: "I... don't get it..."**

**Me: "Don't worry, it's not from your galaxy anyway."**

**Leia: "So, answers?"**

**Me: "Yup." *reads email* "Thank you guest. I do my best to write the characters well. I'm glad you think they're portrayed correctly."**

**Saieu: "To _ahsokatano191, _nice name btw, thanks, the author worked hard on it. We did too."**

**Me: "You're muses."**

**Saieu: "Yeah. You point is? Being a muse is hard work!"**

**Me: *groans* "Next review, _ElsaSkywalker, _no, you didn't offend me in the least. I actually liked Frozen when I first saw it. But thanks to a little sister who's had me watch it well over twenty times, it got kinda old. Darksyde is like a dead fish, smelly and spoils everything. Just ignore her. She's bark and no bite (in the AN anyway. Can't say the same for the actual story)**

**Darksyde: "Hey!"**

**Saieu: "It's true."**

**Me: "Anyway, Elsa, never feel like I'm judging you or anything. And thanks for all your input and faithful reading. It means a lot."**

**Me: "Ah yes, _scottusa1, _Dooku had to die. But things will be changed later on. They're already changing, it's just not obvious yet."**

**Me: "AgentTucker, I always love reading your reviews. You manage to make me smile no matter how crappy of a day I've had, so thank you. Yes, dead baby jokes are eternal (Darksyde, pretend like you didn't hear that) I'll do my best not to have more black outs, but no promises!"**

**Me: "Anyway, that's the last of the reviews. I'll do my best to update 'The Angel and The Dragon' and 'Two Steps From Hell' soon, as well as my other fandom fics, (hhtyd yo!) Anyway, R&R!**

_Well see what you wanna see. You should see it all._

_Well take what you want from me. You deserve it all._

_Nine times out of ten, our hearts just get dissolved._

_Well I want a better place or just a better way to fall._

_But one time out of ten, everything is perfect for us all._

_Well I want a better place or just a better way to fall._

**_-Modest Mouse 'Bukowski'_**

The group of four jedi and a politician were lead single file through the many halls of the warship, all leading up to the grand meeting with the famed General Grievous.

"Oh yes. General Kenobi, the Negotiator." Hissed the General in a mechanicalized voice, his original tone being long lost. "We've been waiting for you."

A battle droid handed the General the captives lightsabres, which Grievous snatched away.

"You're welcome." The droid mumbled.

"That wasn't much of a rescue." Grievous sneered.

Obi-Wan simple shrugged. "That depends upon your point of view."

The General instead turned his focus on the second famed jedi in the room. "And Anakin Skywalker... I was expecting someone with your reputation to be a little... older." The cyborg warmonger gave a cough, that somehow came off as equally threatening as his imposing figure.

Anakin smirked. "General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies..." He paused for effect. "You're shorter than I expected."

Grievous snarled. "Jedi scum..."  
>Obi-Wan turned to his companion and said exasperatedly, "Anakin, try not to upset him. We have a job to do."<br>"Your lightsabres will make a fine addition to my collection." Grievous taunted, placing the four lightsabres in his cloak.

Obi-Wan's gaze grew deadly. "Not this time. And this time you won't escape."  
>Anakin suddenly turned to his droid, "Artoo, now!"<p>

Artoo shrieked and sparked, creating a rather impressive distraction by extending all his arms, shooting out electrical pulses, and bouncing around.  
>Anakin, hands still restrained with electrobonds, spun around, reached out and, using the Force, yanked his lightsabre out of the General's cape. He ignited it, and cut his bonds, then proceeded to spin around and cut Obi-Wan free.<p>

The other jedi too took back their sabres and freed themselves.

"Crush them!" Grievous commanded his troops. "Make them suffer!"

And thus the battle began. The four jedi cut through the droids with ease. Their little marionette bodies melted like ice in the sun.

Grievous snarled, demanding the piloting droids to remain at their stations. From the side came two of Grievous's personally bodyguards, their purple glowing staffs buzzing like a swarm of insects.

The first one went after Obi-Wan, slicing and parring with ease. The droids weren't called Jedi Killers for no reason.

The droid managed to get a solid hit on Obi-Wan that sent him reeling. His adversary continued to advance. With a well times swing he managed to hack off the droids head. Seemingly victorious, Obi-Wan turned to find Grievous, but the hissing-whirl of a staff sent him once more into a battle stance. The droid remained functional even without a head. That certainly complicated things.

The second bodyguard was facing off against the twins. As the two had no prior experience against such creatures, their battle was proving even harder than the other's.

Only Anakin seemed to be fairing well. After quickly dispatching the droids holding the Chancellor captive he returned to the fray.

Finally finding a gap in the droid's defenses, Obi-Wan managed to slice the creature in two. It collapsed to the floor where it twitched a moment before falling still. One down, one to go.

Though, glancing up and catching sight of the twins, Obi-Wan realized the number just dropped once more.  
>A sudden explosion rocks the entire ship, causing most of its occupants to fall, or at the least trip.<p>

"Sir, we are falling out of orbit." Came the nemodian pilot's panicked voice. "All aft control cells are dead."

The General growled. "Stay on course... Don't bother with them. Keep the ship in orbit."

Regaining their footing, the four force users once more leapt into battle. Together, Anakin and Obi-Wan work like a well oiled death machine to destroy the remaining battle droids along with the many metallic pilots. Luke and Leia too helped in ridding the bridge of adversaries.

Soon there were few left but a handful of living pilots and the half-alive General.

Obi-Wan jumped over a council to land right in front of the cyborg. Anakin took position behind Grievous while Luke and Leia fell back to the sides to prevent escape.

Kicking up his bodyguard's dropped staff, Grievous lifted the weapon high and spat, "You lose, General Kenobi," before launching it at the thick windows.

The glass shattered, sending all air within the bridge out to the vacuum that was space, taking Grievous along with it.

From his wrist, he fired a strong cable to latch onto the side of the ship. Using his swinging trajectory, Grievous landed gracefully on the hull where he promptly climbed back into the ship and out of sight.

Within the bridge the heavy blast doors finally slammed shut, allowing those that managed to remain inside to release their death-grips on whatever they were tethered to.

They are only given a moment of rest when even more alarms began to siren. The ear shattering wail of the systems drowned out much else, but Palpatine's warning managed to get through the noise. "The hull is burning up!"

Threat of droids gone, Anakin quickly seated himself in the empty pilots chair and evaluates the situation. The prognosis isn't good.

Another warning beeped, along with a flashing light on the council. Anakin sighed. "All the escape pods have been launched."

Obi-Wan and the twins made their way to the controls and sat down as well.

"Grievous." Obi-Wan said, though it was unneeded. He turned to Anakin. "Can you fly a cruiser like this?"

"You mean, do I know how to land what's left of this thing?" Anakin shot back, looking a strange mix of confidant and concerned. He sighed once more. "Under the circumstances, I'd say the ability to pilot this thing is irrelevant." He glanced at the four humans around him. "Strap yourselves in."

The four humans did as he suggested and buckled in tight. Knowing Anakin's flying, they would need it. Next to their newly appointed pilot, Artoo plugged himself in to aid in the landing.

Luke watched the side monitors with sharp eyes. "Steady..." He mumbled. "Attitude... eighteen degrees." He relayed.

Artoo beeped.

"Pressure rising." Anakin muttered. "We've got to slow this wreck down." He looked to Luke, somehow sense another able pilot in the boy. "Open all hatches, extend all flaps, and drag fins."

Luke nodded and did as told. "Temp steady. Hatches open, flaps extended, drag fins..."

The massive ship suddenly shook violently, and became significantly _less_ massive. The four sentients glanced among each other.  
>"We lost something." Anakin half joked, but his face remained etched with worry.<br>"Not to worry, we're still flying half the ship." Obi-Wan tried to amend. No one laughed.

"Now we're really picking up speed..." Anakin breathed. "I'm going to shift a few degrees and see if I can slow us down."

"Careful..." Luke warned. "We're heating up-twelve thousand... thirteen thousand..."

Anakin turned to Luke. "What's our speed?"

"Eight plus sixty-forty. Eight plus sixty-twenty." The numbers continued to rise. "Eight plus sixty. Temp ten thousand, nine thousand... we're in the atmosphere..."

Anakin turned to Artoo. "Grab that." He instructed, pointing to a controller. "Keep us level."

"Steady, steady." Obi-Wan muttered.

"Easy, Artoo." Anakin urged his droid. "Hang on, this may get a little rough. We lost our heat shields."

"Five thousand." Luke related. "Three thousand... two thousand." A monitor beeped. "Fireships on the left and the right."

_"We'll take you in." _Came the static voice of the pilot.

Obi-Wan pressed the comm. "Copy that. Landing strip's straight ahead."

Anakin winced as the heat continued to build. "We're coming in too _hot_."  
>"Easy-easy." Obi-Wan muttered.<p>

The ship left a contrail as it streaked across the Coruscant skyline. The weary passengers held on for dear life as the ship shook and rattled toward an industrial landing platform.

with one of its wings, the warship managed to cut an observation tower in half, causing the building to shatter and collapse.

The warship landed heavily on its belly, the shriek of tearing metal was loud enough to make ears bleed. Piece after piece of its underside was ripped away and ground off. But at least it was slowing.

Ahead was a large landing platform in the industrial part of the city. Surrounding it was a flock of Emergency Fire Speeders. Five of said ships approached the slowing _Hand _and sprayed it down with foam to banish the fires raging on its metal body. The massive ship finally came to a rather painful and grotesque landing, but all had survived.

Obi-Wan sighed in relief, pushing his sweaty hair form his eyes. "Another happy landing."


	11. The Mother We Share

****Chapter 11: The Mother We Share.****

**A.N.**

**Me: "So, it's just me, Force, and the droids today."**

**Force: "Hello."**

**Artoo: *beeps a greeting***

**Threepio: "Why hello. I'm not entirely sure why I'm here though..."**

**Me: "Reason it's just us is cuz' all the Star Wars guys are off watching Jumper *cough*saieu*cough*, Darksyde's in timeout (aka hog-tied in a closet), and Saieu's in the backyard chasing squirrels... _This _is what I have to live with!"**

**Force: "It could be worse" **

***Saieu breaks in, a squirrel in her hands* "Guys, meet Freddie!"**

**Force: "... I take that back."**

**Me: *groans***

**Threepio: "Are you sure that woman is alright?"**

**Me "She's always like that."**

**Force: "Answers?"**

**Me: *nods* "Answers. Dear _coolgal02, _I'll update Black Suns as soon as I can. I've just hit a slight writer's block with that one, but I'm finishing up the next chapter now. I'm glad you like several of my stories."**

**Artoo: "Beep beep whirl tweet."**

**Threepio: "He says, 'Thank you ILDV. You're support is much appreciated.'**

**Me: "No where near as formal as Threepio said though."**

**Saieu: "Can I answer some?"**

**Me: *groans* "Fine."**

**Saieu: "Veritas1995... aww your review is boring. But yeah, Obi-Wan. He's a cutie."**

**Me: "Hahaha You got that right scottusa1. Really some of the best lines ever. But it makes me sad at the same time. All the joking and teasing between Anakin and Obi-Wan only makes what happens later hurt more. You really feel what their friendship meant, and seeing it be torn apart so brutally, it hurts.**

**Me: *sighs* "Speaking of hurting, apparently Star Wars is bad for my health."**

**Threepio: "Oh dear."**

**Me: "I get really really attached to fictional character, Anakin being one of the top ones, and when bad things happen, my anxiety spikes. Last time I watched ROTS all the way through I ended up having a panic attack. Reading the book adaptation put me in a three day depression. Not to mention my sobbing by the end of it. So yeah, Star Wars isn't healthy, but honestly, it's the drug of my choice."**

**Everyone: *looks at me oddly***

**Saieu: *pats shoulder* "It's okay."**

**Me: "...Anyway! To ElsaSkywalker, hehe thanks. I try to be creative with my analogies, though not sure if it always works.**

**Me: *reads AgentTucker's review* "Oh goodness..." *sighs* **

**Force: "What is it?"**

**Me: "They want Darksyde to answer."**

**Everyone: ...**

**Force: "I'll get her..."**

***a few minutes later***

**Darksyde: "FREEDOM!"**

**Me: "AgentTucker wants you to answer."**

**Darksyde: :Oh goody! My biggest fan!" *reads review* "You think I have a good sense of humor? Well you'd be the first, but how wonder to find a kindred spirit!"**

**Saieu: "I'm outta here. Com'on Freddie." *leaves with squirrel***

**Darksyde: "Another joke then? Where did the little girl go after the explosion? Everywhere! Hahahaha!"**

**Me: "That's sick."**

**Darksyde: "It's supposed to be. Oh, Tuck says he's (I'm assuming you're he) is honored."**

**Me: "Well that's nice. Better than you at least."**

**Darksyde: "Wait, I'm your role model?! Bwahahaha! Corrupt the innocent!"**

**Me: "God help us..."**

* * *

><p><em>"In the dead of night, I'm the only one here,<em>

_And I will cover you, until you go._

_And if I told the truth, I will always be free,_

_And keep a prize with me, until you go."_

_"I'm in misery where you can seem as old as your omens._

_And the mother we share will never keep your proud head from falling._

_The way is long but you can make it easy on me._

_And the mother we share will never keep our cold hearts from calling."_

_"Until the night falls, we're the only ones left,_

_I bet you even know, where we could go._

_And when it all fucks up, you put your head in my hands,_

_It's a souvenir for when you go."_

**_-CHVRCHES 'The Mother We Share'_**

* * *

><p>Quite words crocheted through the air around the landing platform of Coruscant's Senate Offices. A small gathering of sentients waited on the dock 69 exit. Whispers were shared, questions asked, but left unanswered.<p>

The late afternoon sun bled orange and red over the metallic skyline. The great furnace of a star hung proud, a reminder that no matter the outcome of the war, life you go on.

A tiny black pinprick appeared in the distance, slowly growing larger as it neared the dock. Quite fell over the group as the aircraft neared, revealing itself to be a jedi shuttle. Even those not attuned to the Force could feel the small tendrils of power creeping around the machine. The Heroes of the Republic had returned, with their Chancellor safe once more.

The dozen or so senators and representatives watched as the shuttle settled down. Among the onlookers were Bail Organa of Alderaan and Jar Jar Binks, accompanied by the protocol droid C-3PO.

The shuttle doors slip open with a hiss, and from within exit Chancellor Palpatine first, followed by Anakin and Artoo.

Obi-Wan and Saieu remained in the shuttle. Luke and Leia stood nearby, to really knowing what to do. The elder jedi looked over the twins, then glanced at Saieu before nodding to himself as he came to a decision. "It's alright for you two to go with Anakin."

"Really?" Asked Luke. "Don't we need to go to the Jedi Temple? Speak with the council?"

"You mean get interrogated?" Quipped Leia.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "We can do that later. I believe making my report before bringing you two to the Council will be best."

Saieu put her arms around both twins. "I'll 'look out' for them." She joked, referring to her veiled eyes.

"It's settled then." Obi-Wan said. "Go on now." He made a shooing gesture. Saieu took both Skywalker's hands and dragged then from the shuttle to meet up with Anakin and Palpatine.

Anakin noticed Obi-Wan wasn't coming "Are you coming, Master?" He called.

"Oh no. I'm not brave enough for politics. I have to report to the Council. Besides, someone needs to be the poster boy."

Anakin held his hands up. "Hold on, this whole operation was your idea. You planned it. You led the rescue operation. You have to be the one to take the bows this time."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms and leaned against the exit hatch. "Sorry, old friend. Let us not forget that you rescued me from the Buzz Droids, killed Count Dooku, and rescued the Chancellor, carrying me unconscious on your back. _And_ you managed to land that bucket of bolts safely..."

"All because of your training, Master." Anakin argued, both their smiles steadily growing. "You deserve all those speeches of your greatness."

Obi-Wan sighed. "The endless speeches... Anakin, let's be fair. Today, you are the hero and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians."

Anakin groaned. "All right. But you owe me... and not for saving your skin for the tenth time..."

"_Ninth_ time... that business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count." His face grew serious, but a hint of a smile remained. "I'll see you at the briefing."

Anakin nodded and Obi-Wan returned to the shuttle. The vessel took off and made way back to the Temple.  
>"Ah, the wonders of politics..." Muttered Saieu. Anakin seemed to have just noticed them. At his inquisitive expression, Saieu explained.<p>

"Obi-Wan believed it best to give the Council a heads up about these two before introductions. Thought it best they get better aquatinted with this time and place." She glanced over her shoulder at the two secret Skywalkers. "Bit different in the future, isn't it?"

"Very." Breathed Leia. "It's magnificent. Democracy actually still exists, and I get to see it."

Saieu smiled. "You're a politician then?"

"I was a senator." Leia answered distractedly, her main focus gawking at the Senate Building.

"Come now, there's a lot more to see then just the dusty outside of a building. And many people to meet, my dear senator."

Leia followed behind the eccentric master dumbly, entirely overwhelmed with where she was and what she was seeing. Luke was much more subdued, but felt his sister's excitement keenly through their sibling bond. He felt her gasp both out loud and through the Force when she saw a dark haired man with a goatee.

_"Dad." _It was whispered quietly in his mind with so much love and longing. Luke felt her sudden need to run to the man, embrace him. Mentally embracing her to both comfort and hold her back, Luke reminded her that this time's Bail didn't know her. He felt her deflate, her hopes dwindled but did not die out. The fact that he was alive and well in this time was enough.

The two followed closely behind Saieu, who was walking (more like shuffling in half dance) at the back of the group. Bail pulled back to walk along side Anakin, and the two stuck up a conversation.

"Skywalker, the Republic cannot praise you enough." Bail congratulated.

Anakin winced, but hid it well. Only his fellow three jedi noticed. (Saieu hypothetically as her eyes were covered).

"Thank you, Senator Organa." Anakin said politely, though his voice sounded slightly strange. "The kidnapping was a bold move by the Separatists, but it was a mistake that Obi-Wan and I were able to take advantage of."

Bail nodded. "The end of Count Dooku will surely bring an end to this war, and an end to the Chancellor's draconian security measures."

Saieu and the twins walked in relative silence, content to listen to the senator and the jedi talk.

"I wish that were so," Anakin sighed, "but the fighting is going to continue until General Grievous is spare parts... The Chancellor is very clear about that."

A slight nudge from Saieu pulled Luke and Leia's attention away from the conversation. She tipped her head towards a section of columns cast in shadow. Hidden among the dark was a figure watching the procession pass.

"Wha-?" Leia's whispered question was interrupted by a voice in her head.

_"Watch." _Saieu said telepathically to both.

The conversation around them came to a halt with Anakin asking pardon before walking toward the shadowed figure.

Saieu took both their hands and pulled them to the side so that they too were hidden behind a pillar. While too far away to hear the conversation, they were able to clearly see Anakin embrace the figure.

Looking closer, the twins realize it was a woman holding Anakin close. A very beautiful woman. She reached up and kissed him, pulling him even closer.

Luke and Leia both felt awkward eavesdropping on such a private moment, but Saieu held them firmly in place.

The woman shifted slightly, allowing a bit of light to illuminate her face. Leia gasped in recognition.

_"What is it?" _Luke asked via their bond. A second presence in the back of his mind told him Saieu was listening in as well. Seeing no problem aside from a slight awkwardness, he let her stay.

_"That woman, she's Senator Amidala." _When Luke made no sign of recognition Leia elaborated. _"She was my hero, my inspiration to go into politics, aside from my father..." _She trailed off at the word father. It now held a double meaning for them both. Luke had grown up without a father at all, so his acceptance of Anakin had come rather easily. Leia however, she'd grown up with a father and mother, if adopted ones.

_"She's your mother." _Saieu said quietly. Surprise crackled through the bond, but deep inside both twins knew who Padmé was.

Luke looked back at the woman, the person who gave birth to him and his sister. _'She's beautiful."_

Saieu nodded mentally. _"She is..." _She turned her attention to Leia, who seemed to be contemplating something unpleasant. _"Before you think it, your parent's relationship is not in any way an affair or fling. They're actually married."_

Surprise, elation, and a tad bit of embarrassment echoed in the bond.

_"Married?" _Asked both twins at the same time.

_"For three years now." _She nodded towards the couple, who were now holding a whispered conversation. It seemed to be a heavy subject given the uncertainty in Padmé's body language and the tension and energy in Anakins.

_"Padmé's actually six months pregnant with the two of you. Anakin's just now finding out." _

It would seem the surprises kept on coming. It was odd, having miniature versions of yourself just across the room, not even born yet.

_"How do you know all this?" _Asked Luke.

Saieu smiled. _"When one is as old as I, they develop a deep connection to the Force. I hear her, all the time, telling me things, hinting at past, present, and future. I am a guardian of Her knowledge in this realm."_

She looked sadly at the couple, who were now hesitantly parting ways, giving soft promises of seeing one another soon with tender kisses in between.

_"I'm from a time when marriage was allowed among the jedi. Then the two of them would not be shunned for simple being in love. Every day I try to bring back the old ways, but the Council is stubborn." _She smirked. _"But so am I."_

The three watched as once more an event came to pass that would forever change the galaxy.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Sorry for it being so short, but I'm gonna do a double update. Yay! Hope you like it. And if you havn't already noticed, the characters are a bit different in the AN's then in the actual fic. Not really sure why... Another unanswered question of the universe. Alas.<strong>


	12. Feel My Heart Implode

** Chapter 12 **

**A.N. Okay, so no long note this time. You guys deserve more story. Sorry about that. Also sorry if there's any mistakes in this. My computer shuts of at 11:00 so I had to write and publish this thing on my phone. Hopefully you like this one.  
><strong>

_It's bugging me, grating me_

_And twisting me around_

_Yeah I'm endlessly caving in_

_And turning inside out_

_'cause I want it now_

_I want it now_

_Give me your heart and your soul_

_And I'm breaking out_

_I'm breaking out_

_Last chance to lose control_

_It's holding me, morphing me_

_And forcing me to strive_

_To be endlessly cold within_

_And dreaming I'm alive_

_'cause I want it now_

_I want it now_

_Give me your heart and your soul_

_And I'm not breaking down_

_I'm breaking out_

_Last chance to lose control_

_And I want you now_

_I want you now_

_I'll feel my heart implode_

_And I'm breaking out_

_Escaping now_

_Feeling my faith erode_

**_Muse 'Hysteria'_**

Anakin felt his heart flutter and fill to the brim with joy and relief. His Angel was here, and she was safe. He ran to her and picked her up, spinning her around before embracing her tightly. His kissed her over and over. It have been too long. Far too long. Six months was more like an eternity. But he was here, and she was here, and that mattered.

He pressed his face into her hair, breathing her in, committing her smell to memory. He never wanted to forget the small of Nubian flowers and spring creeks and sunshine and all things Padmé. He had no idea how she could smell so much like Naboo. Like the place he had fallen in love with, just like its queen. Yet she did, and it was perfect.

"Oh, Anakin! Thank goodness, you're back." Padmé murmured, holding him tight as if he might vanish at any moment.

"I missed you, Padme. I've missed you so much." He whispered, uttering it over and over. She was here, and now he was complete. The missing place in his heart and soul were once more full. She was here, and he was here, and he could be happy. For just a moment, it was just them. No war, no jedi, just them.

"There were whispers..." Padmé said, with a half sob. "That you'd been killed. I've been living with unbearable dread." A tear escaped her chocolate brown eyes. Anakin gently wiped it away with his flesh hand.

"I'm back, I'm all right." He soothed. "It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime. And it might have been... If the Chancellor hadn't been kidnapped. I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer Rim sieges."

He pulled her close once more, stroking her hair, taking in every detail of her. Gently he leaned down for another kiss, but she pulled away. A pang of hurt echoed through him, but he brushed it away.

She shook her head. "Wait, not here..."

Anakin lifted her chin up to look at him, a look of fierce protection and devotion in his blue eyes. "Yes, here! I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married."

"Anakin, don't say things like that. You're important to the Republic... to ending this war. I love you more than anything, but I won't let you give up your life as a Jedi for me..."

"I've given my life to the Jedi order, but I'd only give up my life, for you.

Padme smirked playfully. "I wouldn't like that. I wouldn't like that one bit. Patience, my handsome Jedi... Come to me later."

Anakin returned the grin before pulling her up against his chest. Now that he wasn't so distracted with her intoxicating presence, he noticed a few odd things. First was that she seemed to have gained some weight, which was good he supposed. The war had taken its toll on her and she had steadily lost both weight and sleep due to stress. Though Anakin wasn't much better.

The second thing he noticed was her force signature. It was brighter somehow. Vibrant. It felt... fuller. Fulfilled almost.

The third thing he noticed was her shaking. He was immediately set on edge. Had someone hurt her? why was she shaking? Was it fear?

"Are you all right? You're trembling." When she didn't answer right away he became worried, which translated to a slight harshness in his tone. "What's going on?"

"I'm just excited to see you." Padme lied.

Anakin shook his head. "That's not it. I sense more... what is it?"

Padme tried to pull away but her husband held fast. He wanted, needed to know what was going on. But he also had to hold her. To know everything would be all right. she continued to dodge the question. "Nothing... nothing..."

"You're frightened." Anakin realized. A seed of fear planted itself in his gut, and with it came tendrils of anger. Anger at whatever caused her fear, and anger that he hadn't been there to stop it. "Tell me what's going on!" He pressed, the dragon within him rearing it's head, growing the roots of fear deep enough to choke him.

'All things die.' Reminded the dragon. 'Even stars burn out...'

Tears began to slip from Padme's eyes, her breath coming out short and shaky. "You've been gone six months... it's been very hard for me. I've never felt so alone. There's..."

Anakin interrupted her, the dragon twisting around his heart till it felt as if it would burst. "Is there someone else?" Terror grew stronger and the dragon fed.

No!" Padme snapped, shocked and offended he would even think that. "Why do you think that? Your jealousy upsets me so much, Anakin. I'd nothing to betray you, yet you still don't trust me. Nothing has changed."

Anakin slumped in on himself in both relief and embarrassment. "I'm afraid of losing you." he finally said. It was the truth, unchanged and bare. The Hero with no Fear, admitting he was afraid. The irony.

"I will never stop loving you, Anakin. My only fear is losing you as well." She embraced him tightly, reminding him she was there, and she would never let go.

"It's just that I've never seen you like this..." He trailed off, uncertain.

Finally found the courage within her to tell him the truth. The full truth. "Ani... something wonderful has happened." She swallowed, nervous once more. 'Just say it' she urged herself. "I'm... Ani, I'm pregnant."

There is silence. Anakin looks at her first in confusion, then worry, the awe. So many emotions flicker across his face, Padme hadn't a clue to what he was think.

He suddenly pulls her into his arms. "That's... that's wonderful." Padme can't decipher his tone. He sounds shocked, yet happy.

"What are we going to do?"

"We're not going to worry about anything right now, all right? This is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life."

Anakin pulled her close and kissed her forehead. It truly was the happiest moment of his life. And he wasn't going to let anything ruin that.

Saieu thought back to what she had shown the Twins earlier. The Senator from Naboo embraced Knight Skywalker. It wasn't the fact that her dear friend was in a relationship. No, Saieu had known for a long time of his secret marriage.

What truly fascinated her were the children in Padmé's womb. _Children._ Twins! Saieu could hardly believe it! Not once in all the many many years she had lived had she seen twins born of a force sensitive.

Force users were never twins. Biologically, it wasn't possible. At conception, two eggs could be fertilized, just like in any other pregnancy. The problem came after.

One fetus would grow stronger than the other. Even in the womb, a force adept could use the energy to some extent. Mostly to grow, to strengthen. The unfortunate side effect was the smaller fetus would simply burn out. Its sibling would smother it.

The mechanics of it weren't fully understood, but one thing was certain. There were no twin force users.

Yet here they were, children of the Chosen One, long past the period one was to die. They were already many months along. Usually the weaker fetus died within a few weeks. Truly spectacular.

Saieu was truly happy. This was a new age for the jedi. Something was coming. Something big. It would change all of them, and Anakin Skywalker was the tipping point.

Saieu would not rat out her fellow jedi. No, she had lived in a time when jedi openly married. She understood its dangers, but also its blessings.

Besides, Skywalker wasn't the only jedi to ever fall in love.

Saieu smiled, though it was a bitter one. Too often a jedi's life ended in tragedy these days. Not long ago, in her eyes at least, did a shockwave of sorrow reverberate in the Force. The sorrow of one Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The death of Siri Techi was a brutal one, especially for the young master.

Saieu thought of the twins, both unborn and adult. She knew of Luke and Leia's parentage. It was actually quite obvious, even if the Force hadn't told her. Saieuvt didn't know if she was just smart or if everyone else was exceptionally dumb, but the truth to the Skywalker family was glaringly obvious.

Saieu walked among the senators and representatives, her bright green droid trailing behind her. "Come on Artie," She told the machine. "We have a busy day ahead of us."

Darksyde watched with amusement as the Republic's _dear _Chancellor glowered in his office. The aging man glared out at the bustling capitol planet, his

fingers turning white against his velvet chair.

While he appeared quite old in looks, Sidious actually had the body of a much younger man beneath all those robes. It was yet another thing he and his master had stolen from her, the gift of youth. Biologically, he was in his late twenties, appearance-wise, he could be a grandfather.

Darksyde's white eyes flashed with unbridled amusement at her pet's ire. He was aggravated over the 'Twins' arrival. He had yet to figure out just _who_ those twins were. Darksyde of course wouldn't tell him. Where was the fun in that?

Darksyde loved teasing her loyal little puppet. He was one of her favorite toys. That was how she viewed all the Sith after all, as playthings. Sidious was by far the craftiest of them, the closest to ever come to challenging her power.

Like all Sith, he sought to control _her_. What they didn't realize that for one to control the Dark Side of the Force, the essence itself had to be destroyed.

The being that was the Force would cease to exist, and only an energy field would remain, just strong enough to keep all of reality from tearing itself apart.

And Sidious was coming quite close to that goal.

Darksyde would have been afraid, if it was in her nature. But she could not fear. It went against everything she was.

But Sidious was so _very_ close to achieving the impossible. Already he had uncovered the secret to restored youth, and was well on the way to discovering immortality. Through her, he could see through time, allowing his plans to fit seamlessly together. And of course there was that time he and that damnable master of his created life out of nothing.

The resulting creature had been an abomination that lasted only a few days, but was life nonetheless. The rupture in the Force following its creation had lead to the conceiving of the Chosen One.

The Sith's 'experiment' had thrown the Force so out of balance, that both Light and Dark had to work together to seal the cracks. The result had been the virgin birth of Anakin Skywalker.

Ever since their split near a millennia ago, neither Light or Dark could get a full view of the future. They were both trapped in flux of possible realities.

There was one certainty though, Anakin Skywalker _would_ bring balance once and for all. What exactly that entailed, Darksyde hadn't the slightest...

Finally growing weary of watching the Sith Lord, Darksyde stepped out from the window's reflection to join Sidious in his spacious office.

Not even turning from where he watched the bustling city, Sidious spoke. "I was wondering when you would show yourself."

Darksyde smirked, his patronizing tone having no effect on her. "I come and go as I please." She tisked. "No _mortal _can bind me down."

Sidious glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "What of an _immortal_?"

Darksyde flung her head back in wicked laughter. "Found the secret to surpass death already?!" She cackled. "You know nothing you pathetic piece of shit." She sneered.

Sidious bristled at being called such, but knew it was useless to go against her. "You will not be saying such things in the near future." He admonished.

Darksyde cocked her head. "Is that so? Do you truly believe the Chosen One is in your grasp?"

Sidious's frown soon grew into a smirk. "Indeed I do. All it takes is the right _push." _Darksyde raised a brow as Sidious continued. "I have found his weakness."

"That being..?"

"His wife and unborn child."

A sharp-toothed grin eclipsed Darksyde's otherwise attractive features. "Finally found it out did you?" She chirped. Her expression suddenly grew malevolent. "Know this _Sidious_, if harm comes to child or mother, you will find a fate _far_ worse than death." She growled. A pleasant smile once more crossed her face. "I'm sure you'll be a good little boy and obey your mummy." She teased.

Sidious hissed under his breath. His glare once more turned to the dark being. "Why did you not tell me of those twins?"

"I wanted to see your face when you found out." She declared. Sidious's face darkened in rage. "Hah! Like that! I wonder how many shades of red you're turning right now?"

Sidious raged, going as far as force throwing his chair at the being. Darksyde simple laughed and faded out of existence. Only her ominous words remained.

"You will fall Sidious. Even stars burn out..."


End file.
